Seven Days
by magictrix
Summary: Seven days is the Finchel reunion post Christmas. It's my attempt at combining some angst, humour and good ol' fashioned Finchel. I suppose after the super bowl episode this will be AU but it's correct until Christmas. Finchel with Quick/Fabrevans tension
1. Chapter 1

_-Authors Notes-_

_HEY GUYS! Oh god I've missed writing fics. It's like an addiction. First off thank you all so much for the response to my last two glee stories. I'm still getting the odd favorite story alert for both of them which is amazing and wow a lot of you liked the smut. I mean you guys favorited the crap out of that story. I was really touched. My first smut story and it seemed to go down well! _

_Sorry, sorry. Focus! Right. So this story. It's set after el Christmas episode but before the super bowl one. I needed to get this started before the super bowl episode because if the spoilers are to be believed, well, I'm worried. Oh lordy. _

_But I digress. This story is a kind of journey for Finchel back to each other. The first few chapters will have some terrible angsty bits for the torn apart lovers. Sigh. I hope you guys like. I've set it kind of differently from my previous story. Each chapter will be set around a week, a new character POV each day. You'll see. Also couples are featured as they were up until the Christmas episode but I'll be exploring the Quinn/Sam/Puck triangle because I love a bit of Quick, although I'm not sure how far I'm going with them yet. Would love to hear what you guys think of this as we go along. _

_Also this is a T rated story but will include some naughty words. Please don't read it if you can't handle it. I'm talking like nothing worse than but including the F word but just warning yah! _

_I actually can't stop typing. Gah. In all fairness these chapters are LONG so they need a long introduction. _

_Oh and finally (I know, I know. Get on with it!) I'm thinking about jumping ship. Well not really. But I am looking to explore my options, I may write some other ship fics just to kind of test my writing and see if I can. It's easy to write Finchel if I ship Finchel but can I write Puckelberry or Bartie or Brittana etc? I dunno it's just something I'd like to play around with. I'm going to maybe hang around the forums a bit and pick up some random challenges. PM me if you would be into reading anything else or if you are so offended at reading the word Puckelberry that you want me to do it under another account ;) or if you know where I can get some interesting challenges or prompts. _

_Also I set up my new tumblr where I'll be featuring some of the best glee fanfics. I thought I best put all my time on here to good use. Check it out if you're so inclined, it's on my user page. Also feel free to suggest or take part. Let's get this rollin'_

_Much love. Long live Finchel, may you reunite in a overly dramatic and romantic fashion!_

_SORRY one last thing. I don't own glee. Sucks I know right? _

_-X-_

**-Finn's Saturday-**

He loves her.

He hates her.

He kinda hates that he loves her.

But he can never love that he hates her.

Finn wipes away the steam on the mirror as if wiping away his thoughts on the matter, if only for a moment. The bathroom is clouded following his hot shower and the glass steams up once again, almost instantly.

Sighing he dresses all too quickly and wanders back to his bedroom while rubbing his wet hair with a towel.

Thoughts of Rachel already return to his mind by the time he closes the bathroom door and looks over his room.

It's still technically his and Kurt's but with Kurt back at Dalton he tends to consider it his while he's away.

Finn almost wishes he missed Kurt a little more. He feels guilty whenever Kurt visits for not missing his step brother more but Finn just doesn't have _time_ to miss him because it never takes long for his mind to always return to the same tired topic, Rachel.

It's not his fault. It might be a disease.

If love is considered a disease.

And damn it all, right now he thinks maybe it should be.

Like there could be a shot for it or something. Like a flu jab.

Finn would totally be all over that right now.

Instead he's all pissy with everyone because he misses Rachel. Then he's pissy with Rachel because she hurt him. Then he's pissy with himself for being such a doofus and having two girlfriends who cheated on.

Finn hears his phone alert him to a text message. He has no desire to read another apology from Rachel but thankfully she's taken the hint. He hasn't heard from her since before Christmas, except for one short message wishing him a happy holidays.

Somehow that's almost worse. Not hearing from her.

He misses her. He hates missing her. It's a stupid endless cycle of stupidity.

Finn reaches over for the phone. A small part of him hopes it's her even though he knows it won't be.

_Yo Finnigan, we're gonna have a COD marathon at Artie's 2. You in or are you still being a whiny pussy? Cause you know I don't play with girls. It'd be even easier to beat you. _

He can't help but grin the tiniest bit at the message from Puck.

He shouldn't. Puck is half the reason that he's being a 'whiny pussy' but there's something to be said for guy friendships sometimes.

They may not be cool but they'll sweep it under the rug for video games.

_Whatever Puckerman. You know I'll smack you down any day of the week. I'll be there loser!_

Finn could never resist smack talking Puck. And maybe a few hours of pumping some video dudes full of video lead will take his mind off of his problems or something.

He knows it won't though.

He's got to be in same room as Puck. They may be sweeping their issues or whatever but it doesn't mean he's not reminded of what they did every time he sees that mohawked man slut.

Sometimes life sucks. He can't remember who said that but someone once told him it like it was a great piece of wisdom. Finn didn't think much of it at the time but it pretty much summed up his life at the minute.

Sitting alone in his bedroom, waiting until 1:40 rolls around so he can drive to Artie's and play video games with the dude that both his (ex) girlfriends cheated on him with.

Then again that's pretty much how he's spent the whole winter break.

The whole time thinking about her or playing video games.

Or thinking about her _while_ he plays video games.

He almost texts her while his phone is in his hand.

His thumb is like, hovering over the button next to her name.

Finn throws the gadget onto his bed where it bounces for a second.

He has to resist, he still hasn't figured himself out. Which is not helpful. School starts again in two days. Somehow it's the Saturday before they go back. He doesn't know how it crept up on him or how he survived the mind numbing boredom that was his winter break but it's here and the only thing that the new school semester promises is seeing her.

Life sucks.

**-Rachel's Sunday- **

She locks the tripod in place.

Rachel has spent an incredible amount of time over the winter break recording myspace videos.

A small percentile within her is thankful for the free time to catch up on such a crucial task.

And then the rest of her consciousness crushes that part of her as she reminds herself the cost of all this alone time.

Finn.

She almost can't decide what's worse. How badly she's hurting or how badly she knows she hurt Finn.

But Rachel knows that she channels _her_ hurting into her videos. Yesterday she recorded a stirring rendition of 'Love Hurts'.

Today is Air Supply 'Without You'. She knows the song all too well. It was one of the songs she would sing to herself when he was with Quinn. When she sang it then it signified that Rachel and Finn were meant to be. The 'sorrow in his eyes' as she sang it then was his sorrow at being with Quinn, who he didn't love. The inability to live without each other was simply a declaration that they were meant to be.

For Rachel life was simpler then. A little star crossed love story to pour her efforts into.

Now however she sings the words with remorse. With apology. Knowing that the 'sorrow in his eyes' she put there. Knowing that she can't live without him and it's her own fault that she has to.

She feels more hopeless now than she ever did during babygate.

Rachel tries not to blame herself. She's had countless conversations with Kurt regarding the matter, he's been the unexpected friend who has helped her through. He tells her that she's being silly. That as much as her cheating was a incredibly stupid decision (his words but she's agrees) there was also a reason behind it. That maybe Finn wasn't and isn't perfect and he still has issues he needs to man up and take responsibility for.

Each time Kurt tells her this, usually just changing the wording, she sighs. She shakes her head (even if they're talking over the phone) and she almost whispers back to him "I still cheated on him. There was a line and I crossed it".

Kurt then normally gets a little agitated. He loves his step brother after all but he tells her, quite often, that he's sick of her playing the blame game with herself. She can't stop herself so she always ends up listening as he tries to pick her up.

Rachel prefers it when he talks about Blaine. It's nice to hear about a happy ending for Kurt after all of his problems at McKinley and he gets so involved with his little stories about their dinner conversation the previous night that he forgets to chastise Rachel for her pity parties.

She watches the upload bar on her screen numbly as she wonders if it's lucky Kurt won't be calling tonight.

Maybe she should just go to bed.

Then again it's 6pm.

Even last year when she was more of a bullied nobody than she is now, she still never went to bed this early.

She almost wishes she'd never had a taste of the good life with Finn. Of having a boyfriend who wanted to see her. Who wanted to spend time with her.

Then she takes it back because she could never really wish that.

She wouldn't trade her time with Finn for anything, even taking away the hurt.

The beep of her computer snaps her from her memories. Upload complete.

She takes a brief looks through her older videos, ensuring no harmful comments are displayed. She blocks the cheerios as and when they rear their heads but sometimes new screen names pop up, created with the sole purpose of spreading hateful comments about her.

The lengths some people will go to, in order to humiliate her, is almost touching.

Seeing no new insults for today she retreats to google, searching for some new song choices either for regionals or myspace. Either way something to keep her busy.

However Rachel is a old hat at song choices and google. She flies through her searches, making notes, on autopilot. It only frees up her mind to think about him some more.

Because she hasn't done enough of that.

The computer beeps again, alerting her of a new email.

She opens up what is a comment on her latest video.

_Rachel Berry if I have to receive a alert from myspace one more time with another heartbroken song that you've sung I will come back to Lima and throttle you to within an inch of your life. Now I am at dinner with Blaine who I haven't seen all winter break and you're ruining it, although he does say hello. I shall be calling you tomorrow after school. Be prepared. _

Rachel giggles despite herself as the image of a ranting Kurt enters her mind.

She didn't ask him to subscribe to her myspace videos.

Before she realizes it's somehow 9pm and in her mind a much more socially acceptable time to go to sleep, even if it is still a little early.

She's in a strange limbo between excitement and nervous. She's excited to see Finn, even if he doesn't want to see her. She'd excited to see everyone from glee, even if the majority of them hate her.

What she's dreading is school in general. Her almost guaranteed slushie, the comments about her, everything, even if she's a master at keeping her head held high.

It never gets any easier to handle and she wonders if it will actually be worse now after she became accustomed to having tall, dashing protector.

Rachel curls up into the blanket on her bed. Hugging it close to her body not only for warmth but for comfort she let out a long sigh at the thought of what tomorrow may bring.

Monday was certainly going to be a long day.

**-Puck's Monday- **

Puck wandered the halls with a certain, added badass-ness that day.

For starters, it's Monday.

What. The. Fuck.

He hates Mondays, well, he hates any day where he's supposed to be at school. He can't ditch because of his stupid probation and to add insult to injury he lost his COD title to Professor X on the weekend because apparently he'd taken a break from Halo to hand Puck his ass.

He did get some awesome shots at the Changster before being taken down. That had relived some of his aggression.

He addressed the rest of that frustration with Satan yesterday day though.

Even after he called her Satan to her face and she flipped out before forgiving him.

Nobody can resist the sweet sweet lovings of the Puckasauras.

"Yo Puck", he turned around to the call of his name to see Sam running up to him.

Great it's Douche McBig Mouth come to brighten my day.

"Sup?", he asks with an eye roll at the blonde.

"Dude, I was just wondering if you can cover for me at practice later, I promised Quinn I'd drop her off somewhere, I'm not gonna miss it, I'll just be late like 10 minutes".

Puck wanted to punch Sam in the face and then face palm himself. This dude had obviously mistaken the Puckzillas grunts at practice as some sorta dude friendship or something, rather than what it really was.

Puck using every ounce of will power not to smack the dude up side the head.

Not that he's jealous or anything.

He guesses, maybe, at times he wishes he had more closure on the Quinn thing. Rather than her breaking his heart and then running off with the great Bieber impersonator while he's in juvie.

Wait heart?

Puck shook his head. He'd been over this, he _did not_ love Quinn Fabray.

He did not love anyone.

He was a badass not some lover boy. Love is what turned Hudson into a whiny wimp anyway.

"Sure, whatever. Bieste will probably still make you run sprints though", Puck eventually replied shrugging his shoulders.

Sam laughed as he smiled and walked off, "yeah probably. Thanks dude, catch you later".

Puck watched him jog away with a scowl, he didn't like that dude and it was in no way anything to do with Quinn.

Anyway he figured Bieste was going to kick his ass for being late either way, what harm could it do to shut the hell up at practice and let him take some extra punishment?

With a added smile on his face Puck carried on walking when he saw Berry getting slushied.

He shuddered inwardly remembering the feeling of a slushie facial but watched as she eyed Karofsky dangerously despite the laughter surrounding her, "in the words of my friend _Kurt Hummel_, you will be working for me one day" she said with venom before marching off to the girls bathroom.

Puck watched Karofsky turn a deep red with what he could only assume was anger before storming off angrily.

He shrugged at the confrontation thinking nothing of it as he changed his decision and walked straight past his locker to head towards the nurses office.

As expected he slept until lunch and woke up ready to be more badass than ever.

Nothing like a nap to refresh a young mind.

What he didn't expect was to hear a feminine yelp from the dumpsters as he made his way to the parking lot, fully intending to treat himself to a burger for lunch rather than stuff they tried to call food in the cafeteria.

Leaning over the top he couldn't help but smirk as he held out a hand for her, "sup Berry?"

**-Finn's Tuesday-**

Things weren't going to such a bad start.

Sure it sucked to be back at school but it gave Finn something to focus on, you know?

He actually started listening in his English class because then he didn't look at the back of her head. He was working hard in football because then he didn't try to sack Puck, you know, just accidentally on purpose. He actually tried improving his voice and listening to the assignment in glee, because then he didn't have to listen to her or catch at the looks from his fellow glee clubbers.

"Finn!"

"Yes Mr Schue?", he said realizing he'd made it to another glee practice.

Ok maybe he had his moments of not listening... or looking where he was going.

"How you would feel taking the male lead on for the duet at regionals?", his teacher asked like he was in a rush.

Finn gulped, he almost didn't want to ask but he had to, "with... Rachel?"

Mr. Schues face softened at his tone but he carried on, "if it's a problem we have time to work with someone else, maybe Puck, but you both are still the strongest duet option..."

"It's fine Mr. Schue. I'm sure it'll be fine", despite his words Finn still felt unsure in what he was saying but was grateful Mr. Schue asked before anyone else had turned up.

Wait, why was he first here?

Mr. Schue clapped a hand down on Finns shoulder and smiled at him, "I'm so glad you agreed Finn, I think having the duet may make it easier for Rachel when I tell her about the solo".

Before Finn could even ask what Mr. Schues evil scheme was they were interrupted by the subject of their conversation.

"What is it you need to tell me about _the_ solo", she asked with a hand on her hip from the doorway.

Finn looked at her properly for the first time in weeks, since he had been avoiding her. Her vision was fixed on Mr. Schue like a laser and her slight pout screamed diva-about-to-have-a-meltdown-if-she-isn't-told-what-she-wants-to-hear. Aside form that though Finn noticed the little things about her, like how she was wearing a simple red dress rather than something with a huge pattern or how her eyes looked sad despite the agitation in her face.

He couldn't tear himself to look away as she marched over the the pair of them, still keeping eye contact with Mr. Schue who was apparently scared.

"Rachel! I was just asking Finn how he'd feel about you two having a duet at sectionals"

She didn't bat an eyelid as she replied even though she flustered over a few words, "of course we should have a duet, we are perfect together... our voices I mean. That's not what I heard though, what was the talk about solos?"

Finn almost felt bad for Mr. Schue. He'd seen this Rachel before, that was her crazy ambition meets Mr. Schue standing in her way. Not a good combo. When Finn peeled his eyes away from Rachel his saw their teacher trying to think of something with wide eyes although he eventually gave up.

"I was thinking of having a completely level playing field for our solo, glee solo auditions".

Finn thought for sure that she'd explode at this point. Like her head would explode like a thermometer that got too hot or something and she'd launch herself into a rant somehow, even with a exploded head.

Weirdly enough she didn't.

Instead her eyes flickered to him for like a second. He caught it though. It looked like she'd just remembered he was there. She took a deep breath and looked again at Mr. Schue.

"Mr. Schuester can I please talk to you for a moment, in your office?", her voice was softer but still sounded to him like it was not a question, Mr. Schue was going in that office whatever happened.

Finn decided he'd stood too close to her for too long, any longer and he'd start smelling her shampoo and stuff and he didn't need to go down that road. It took him long enough to get the smell out of his bedroom over winter because he swears the smell, was somehow, everywhere.

"I'm gonna...", he mumbled as he turned towards the seats at the same time that Mr. Schue led her towards his office.

Finn wondered why she couldn't say whatever she wanted to say in front of him. Normally she moaned about solos in front of everyone.

Then he slammed his palm to his forehead as if physical assault would remind his brain to stop thinking about her.

Mercedes and Tina walked in and Finn was grateful for someone, anyone, else to talk to but their hellos were interrupted by conversation from the side office suddenly going up in volume.

"Success at Sectionals? We tied! That's not a success in anyones book. WE TIED! There's no room for ties in regionals and certainly not at Nationals!"

The office went silent again for a few moments before Mr. Schues voice got louder.

"That's fantastic Rachel!"

"Do you finally see my point? Do you see what it means?"

"But Rachel I can't just..."

"I'm simply informing you Mr. Schuester. Do what you will with the news but on your head be it! I would, however, thank you very much if you kept this information to yourself!"

The last sentence was almost shouted but calm at the same time. All three of them were now staring at the door as Rachel stormed through it and forced a smile on her face as she said her hellos to Tina and Mercedes, before taking a seat in the front.

When Mr. Schue returned he looked like somebody had given him a present, which was cool, but then the present turned out to be a punch in the gut.

Finn told himself it wasn't weird that he was obsessing over what could have been said. This was backed up by the fact that as the rest of the glee club arrived he overheard Mercedes and Tina gossiping with some of the others about it and trying to figure out what happened. So everyone wanted to know. He was allowed to care about her news.

Mr. Schue never did make his announcement about solos in that glee meeting.

**-Quinn's Wednesday-**

Quinn walked down the hallway of McKinley high and smiled to herself at the status she had regained since last year.

People parted for her like the red sea, a feat she and only she, of all the cheerios had perfected.

Out the corner of her eye she saw a small factor in her popularity retention, Sam her bubble pop blonde boyfriend jogged towards her, along the corridor from the opposite direction.

When he reached her he leant in happily for a kiss and she turned ever so slightly so it landed on her cheek. Luckily he didn't notice, he never noticed.

"Hey sweetie, are you feeling any better?"

She smiled sweetly, "much better, I was ok by yesterday evening. Thanks for the ride on Monday".

He grinned at the thanks she had thrown his way, "anytime, anytime".

He grabbed her hand as he walked her to her next class but their conversation didn't continue until she saw Rachel by her locker putting away a pile of sheet music.

"Did anything happen in glee I should know about?", she asked with some interest.

He shrugged, "our assignment is a song that sums up what you want from this year or where you see yourself going. Oh and apparently Rachel had a fight with Schue".

"What?", she asked almost stopping to look at Rachel again and reevaluate her. She didn't look like she'd been reprimanded. She normally looked all angry when she had been.

"No, not like a fight. But you know her usual tantrum. Except apparently she took him into the office instead of doing it in front of everyone, as usual, and at one point he was congratulating her and she was all 'well I've made my point' and left it at that".

Quinn thought about it for a second. She wondered why the change of heart, Rachel normally complained about Schuester's leadership in front of everyone and she never backed away from an argument. Mercedes clearly had the scoop on this because every word from Sam's mouth must have been reiterated from what she'd said, Sam would never have paid that much attention to the 'argument'.

She made a mental note to hit Mercedes up for the gossip later, she found a slight relief in hearing gossip now her and her baby weren't the subject of it.

Sam kissed her once more on the cheek before leaving her at the door to her class, History.

She took her normal seat in the back but was surprised when Puck slumped in the chair next to her.

"Do you even take this class?", she asked raising an eyebrow to him.

He smirked at her, "yeah, course I do. You've just never seen me in here because it's right before Math so I usually get a head start on my nap, you know?"

"So why have you graced us with your presence today?"

"Gotta keep my GPA up since juvie. Plus I found out you were here, couldn't resist that, could I Q?", he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

She scoffed, "dream on Puckerman".

"Ouch baby, ouch", he feigned hurt as their teacher walked in.

"So class today we'll be covering the subjects in our quiz next week so it's a excellent chance for those of you lacking in notes", she eyed Puck with contempt, "to catch up in time to save your grade".

"Quiz? I've only been in this damn class a week", he said a little too loudly.

Quinn couldn't help laugh at that along with a few other people in the class. He sat back in his chair lazily as he said it, making the statement in general rather than out of shock at having a quiz. She always loved his confidence, even when that confidence was making their middle aged teachers face flush in frustration.

She shook her head, remembering why she wasn't with Puck. It was too much baggage, for both of them.

She couldn't even drink a wine cooler without thinking about him.

Which was incredibly annoying, she loved wine coolers.

"Thinking about me babe?", he asked her bringing her back to reality.

She stopped herself from saying she was actually thinking about wine coolers because she knew that one would come back to bite her in the ass but it seemed her silence did just as much.

"You don't need to confirm it. The look of complete satisfaction on your face said it all. Everyone looks like that when thinking about Puckzilla"

Quinn smirked evilly almost mirroring his usual expression.

"Yeah I see the guys walk out of the locker room with that look all the time", she countered.

He mumbled, "not cool, not cool", before shutting up for the reminder of the period.

She smirked at her victory and ignored the feeling of excitement. The feeling of fun and laughter at her banter with Puck. Just because her and Sam didn't have banter didn't mean anything.

Criminal minds might have banter with her but Sam was... sweet.

Oh and popular.

And... blonde?

The mohawked hooligan sitting next to couldn't even pay attention, half way through the class he was on his phone under the table.

She was almost annoyed until she realized she hadn't really been listening either, however she had turned up to class this year.

And then she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

_Puckerone Female Services: Satisfaction guaranteed. Call me when you're in need._

Quinn rolled her eyes and typed a quick message back before slipping the phone away and picking up her pen to catch up.

_I'm impressed you spelt that all correctly _

**-Rachel's Thursday-**

She paced about her room wondering whether she should call him.

Part of her thought it might seem like gloating, part of her wanted one of her actual friends to know.

She was becoming increasingly aware she didn't have many and although she couldn't quite explain how, or when, they had become friends she knew after he had talked her down post breakup that he was in fact her friend.

That settled it for her, she wouldn't keep one of the few people who cared about her in the dark.

Pressing his speed dial number she waited for him to answer hoping it wasn't too early.

"Good morning Diva", came Kurt's chipper greeting.

"Kurt! I hope I didn't wake you?"

He laughed happily, humoring her question, "you know I'm up early to fulfill my skin care regime, but what can I do for you on this fine Thursday morning? You can't have any drama yet, school doesn't start for an hour".

She bit her lip nervously, "actually there is something I wanted to tell you".

"Speak to me diva, you know I need my gossip fix and there is so so much at McKinley"

"Well this isn't so much gossip. In fact I'd rather it not get back to certain people right now as I will not be announcing it yet, or for a while. I only wanted to discuss it with you first because we've becom..."

She hears him sigh, effectively cutting her off, "as much as I love our little chats I still have to moisturize, can we hurry this up?"

"I was accepted to Juilliard a..."

He cut her off a second time. Not with words but instead a shrill scream and Rachel had to hold the phone away from her ear for a second to save her perfect hearing.

"KURT! Listen to me I haven't finished!", she screamed to get his attention.

He calms himself and mumbles a sorry to a groggy sounding room mate in the background. "I'm sorry Rachel it's just that is incredible news and while I am seething with jealousy I am so very happy for you, once I get in we'll have so much fun together and..."

She cuts him off this time, "I haven't finished Kurt. I was accepted as an accelerated entrant. I start a year early. I'm leaving Ohio after this summer".

There is no scream this time, only silence. Rachel couldn't help but wonder if she broke him.

"Kurt? Say something?"

"Wow. I just wasn't aware you applied early, I didn't know you were even interested in applying early, at the time for applications you were still dating... you were still dating. I never thought. Wow. You leave in September?"

She chuckles at his words, thankful he didn't say _his_ name, "I think I'll have just enough time to pack, don't you think?"

"You realize I can't let you leave with those sweaters? I'll have to supervise your packing over the summer. I'm taking you shopping. It's for your own good".

"I wouldn't expect anything less Kurt. And besides it means when you join me at Juilliard next year you'll already have a friend who knows her way around campus".

"I suppose so", he mutters back.

Rachel catches sight of the pink clock hanging on her yellow walls.

"Oh Kurt I have to go but I just had to tell you first and foremost. I'll text you later? Oh and I'm assuming I can count on you not to tell _anyone_ yet? I'm not planning on announcing it to the glee club", she asks not quite aware on the emphasis she put on the word 'anyone'.

"Of course college girl. I can't have my early bird having a melt down before she even gets to New York. You have my word, which I rarely give out so count your blessings. Have a great day diva!"

"You too", Rachel replied as she ends the call. Relief washes over her at finally telling someone other than her fathers, her glee teacher and her various vocal and dance instructors.

She hadn't told family or teachers, she'd told a friend.

He was happy for her.

Having told Kurt cemented her decision in reality for her. She was going to Juilliard in little over half a year. She only had to survive the halls of McKinley high until summer and then she could pack up and leave.

In some respects it felt like running away. Maybe it was. But Rachel had made up her mind.

And she knew exactly why she didn't want to tell glee club yet. And Kurt knew why which is why he didn't ask.

There was one member she wasn't sure about telling and she couldn't tell the rest without him finding out.

So she would wait, she had already decided. She wasn't quite sure when till, but she would wait to spill the proverbial beans.

But Rachel felt good as she made her way to school in her pink car. For the first time in weeks she was smiling, happily, genuinely.

She had a perfect song picked out for this weeks glee assignment and she was finally excited about going to Juilliard early because she'd come to realize that love had let her down but performing never would. Rachel practically had her old skip in her step as she walked the halls of McKinley high that day.

Then she felt the icy sting of blue raspberry hit her face.

**-Finn's Friday-**

Finn was unbelievably happy that it was nearly the end of the week. Like over the moon.

He'd been hanging on to the gossip of glee for crying out loud. All in the hopes of hearing Rachel's secret.

At one point he thought about just asking her but then he changed his mind. It would have been too much of a sucker punch if she said no. Because he knew Rachel told things to people she cared about.

And he did not want to find out she didn't care anymore if she wouldn't tell him.

Finn was slowly, very slowly, beginning to think about things. Like seriously.

Because why did it matter if Rachel didn't care? If he was never going to get back with her, if he was going to move on and whatever. Why did it matter?

Did he want her back?

The answer seemed obvious. Yes. Of course.

The only problem being the sick feeling he got looking at her because all he saw was her macking on Puck. Which was only made worse when he saw Puck talking to her yesterday. Just in the hall. But seeing them together...

He almost punched Puck through a wall or something.

Finn came to the conclusion that he needed time. That he needed time to get over it but at the end of that he would be getting her back.

That's not even an issue. He wanted her back eventually. She was Rachel Berry.

His Rachel Berry.

Maybe he was taking it for granted that she'd like wait around for him but that was something Rachel had made clear in her pre Christmas begging.

She loved him and she'd wait.

But that was for down the road, right now he needed time. Time to not want to yell at her and punch him. It happened a little bit less each day and it helped that she was actually giving him space.

And now that it was Friday he only had to get through one more glee today and he'd be fine. Just peachy. One week down.

He sat in the back, as usual, as Mr. Schue talked about the assignment. What the songs that had been sung so far meant.

She was in the front so he saw straight away when her hand shot up.

"Mr. Schuester I think that after a long search I finally found a song that sums up what I believe is on the cards for me this year".

He hadn't heard her sing in weeks now and not a solo. He'd rejected her Christmas present of a solo and... geezz she was gonna sing. She was already at the piano talking to Brad and was...? Artie is playing guitar?

Is Rachel singing something not from Broadway?

The music started up and Finn recognized the song straight away. That was rock. Classic, awesome rock.

Artie strummed at the guitar like it was a part of his body and Finn couldn't believe that a) she was singing this and b) that she was singing this.

Suddenly he couldn't take his eyes off of her as she began.

_I want to break free_

_I want to break free _

_I want to break free from your lies_

_You're so self satisfied I don't need you_

He couldn't help but smile as she sung that line looking straight into Santana's eyes. It's one of the only lines she did look at someone, singing most of the song to the room and to no one in particular.

_I've got to break free. _

_God knows, God knows I want to break free, _

I've fallen in love

I've fallen in love for the first time

And this time I know it's for real

I've fallen in love, yeah

God knows, God knows I've fallen in love

_It's strange but it's true, hey_

_I can't get over the way you love me like you do_

_But I have to be sure_

_When I walk out that door_

_Oh how I want to be free, baby _

_Oh how I want to break free_

_Oh how I want to break free_

Then while he's memorized and Artie is wailing on the guitar solo, she locks eyes with him for the next lines. He's sure it's the first time they've looked at each other at the same time in, what seems like, forever.

_But life still goes on_

_I can't get used to living without, living without_

_Living without you by my side_

_I don't want to live alone, hey_

_God knows, got to make it on my own_

_So baby can't you see _

_I've got to break free_

He doesn't know what to think. She breaks eye contact for the last part, which she totally nails and like sings to nobody and everybody at the same time. He doesn't know what to make of the song, the lyrics, of her performance. Was she trying to send him a message? Did she really want to get over him?

_I've got the break free_

_I want to break free _

_I want, I want, I want, I want to break free_

The room breaks out in applause when she finishes. Finn doesn't clap. He's scared to clap. Everyone else seems to have forgotten that the songs are meant to have meanings and instead they are applauding Rachel for rocking out to a Queen song. Schuester is smiling worriedly and suddenly Finn thinks he knows something but he covers it up by praising her for getting out of her shell and sharing something.

At that everything else is lost on Finn, he can see noise being made around him, like seriously. He can see peoples mouths moving and hands clapping and high fives happening (Artie seriously rocked the guitar) and he can't hear it.

He's worried he's gone deaf.

But through it all he hears her say "don't read too much into it" to Mercedes and for a second she looks at him and smiles.

That shy, nervous smile she used to give him all the time.

And Finn calms down a little. He begins to breathe normally again, he tries to stop repeating the lyrics in his head even though 'life still goes on' and 'got to break free' keep looping. He stands up suddenly, like he didn't expect to and his legs are moving on their own.

He walks from the room because... just because. He makes it out quick enough that nobody has time to ask him where he's going. By the time the questions start getting asked and his hearing returns he's gone, but people call after him.

Finn goes home. He needs this week, this weird week, to be over.

_I hope you didn't leave glee on my account but I fear you might have. Didn't anyone ever tell you that I do the storm outs around here? Please reply if you want to talk. However if you don't want to, please trust me (I know that is hard to do at the moment) when I say that it's not what it seems. If you don't want to talk then I apologize for bothering you and I hope to return to giving you space. -Rachel*_

He stares at the message from her. Smiling slightly at her attempt to lighten the mood about his storm out but frowning when he comes to the last lines.

He doesn't know what's worse, the fact that she asked him to trust her or the fact that his automatic reaction was to trust her regardless. Even after Puck.

The message only eases some of his tension over her performance as he slumps back onto his bed unhappily, undecided as to if he will reply.


	2. Chapter 2

_-Authors Notes-_

_Hello my lovelies. Ok first things first. I don't believe I tell you guys often enough how much you rock. I received so many favourite story and story alerts. From one chapter? Awesome. Also my lovely reviewers as ever you are amazing for taking the time to hit me up with a review. Oh and I normally reply to reviews separately but to Ellie who review anonymously thank you for your kind words. I just wanted you to know (should you read this chapter) that it was much appreciated (as all my reviews are) and I hope you'll find this story fills a void! _

_Ok onto the story. This chapter is a few weeks after the last one. At this point I'm just going to kind of tell you as we go because sometimes we'll skip a few weeks, sometimes the next chapter will be the next immediate week. At this point I have no idea how long this is going to be, I just have a rough sketch of a plot in my head and I'll write until the plot is fulfilled. _

_BTW, a update already? I spoil you guys! These chapters are huge! Well they feel like it. But I seem to be getting them done quite quickly. My brain does hurt though! ^_^ I kid I kid. _

_Anyway I wanted to get this up to fill the gap till tomorrow. I feel like a kid on Christmas eve because tomorrow is new glee. So excited. But also not. I'm very wary of the promos I have seen :( but I know it's not happy middles but it seems to me like they have just injected everyone (especially Finchel) with extreme levels of douche-ness. I mean I know they're hurting and all but dear lord, the promo for the valentines episode with the kissing booth? I wanted to punch at least 6 different characters in that promo. Tell me I'm not alone? _

_Onward! I'm a bit iffy with this chapter. I've written some Sue in and I only hope I've done her justice and there is a nice bit with Kurt/Finn and I only hope that it doesn't feel too forced. I wanted a wake up call sort of vibe. Holla at me if you can._

_Oh yeah one last thing. Two songs have snippets in this chapter first is 'My Man' from Funny Girl, second is 'If you Leave Me Now' by Chicago. And last chapter was 'I Want To Break Free' by Queen (I forgot to mention). _

_Peace, love and Finchel._

_-X-_

**-2 Weeks Later-**

**-Puck's Saturday-**

The banging on his door was so not helping his damn hangover.

Not that he regretted drinking. Drinking was fun, he wasn't going to punk out and say he'd never drink again because of one headache.

He just wishes he could wake up to two aspirin rather than his mom banging his damn door down.

"NOAH PUCKERMAN GET OUT OF THAT BED RIGHT NOW"

He groaned at her shouts and shuffled along the floor towards the door, each step becoming more confident as standing up forced his brain into action.

He threw the door open to find his mother dressed for work with a scowl on her face.

"Noah, I have to go to work, Kelly called in sick so I'm going in for overtime. I need you to watch Sarah".

Puck looked at his mom and felt the same mix of anger and guilt he did whenever his mom had to rush off to work overtime to keep them afloat. Anger at his deadbeat dad and guilty himself that he didn't do more to help.

"Sure mom", he said following her downstairs. He was going to need those aspirin before he dealt with his sister.

Popping the pills in his mouth and leaning against the counter he watched his mom gather a last few things for her bag before she kissed him on the cheek and left, "I'll be back around 10".

"Bye mom", he didn't bother with have a good day or anything because, hell, she was going to pull a 12 hour shift. How would it ever turn out good?

The minute the door was closed he heard it. His sister chanting his name to the jaws theme tune from somewhere else in the house.

"Noah. Noah. Noah Noah Noah Noah Noah Noah NOAH!", she shouted as she leapt out for him.

"Lay off punk!", he said with one arm out to hold her back.

"What'sa matter Noah?", she asked still trying to get past his hand.

Puck looked down at his sister and sighed. He let her run at him and wrap her arms around his middle knowing it should shut her up for a while, "nothing, I'm just tired".

She shook her head after releasing him, as she walked away, "tired? Yeah right. I may be a kid but I'm not an idiot, you drunk".

Puck watched her go with a smirk. That girl was too smart for her own good and having a badass brother like him didn't help.

He wandered back to his bedroom and slumped down, switching on his TV as he did. Highlights from the game the previous night flashed on the screen as highlights from last nights party flashed across Pucks mind.

He smirked as he thought of the shots, the ladies, the fight.

He'd had a strangely comforting satisfaction at seeing Quinn argue with Sam in the backyard.

Not that he cared. Badass' don't care.

But the look on big mouths face as Quinn walked back inside and proceeded to down 3 shots in a row had been priceless. And Quinn doing 3 shots? Totally hot.

In fact maybe he should tell her.

_Q. How's it hanging after your awesome little display last night? If you want you can come over and I'll make you feel better?_

He hit send and returned his eyes to the screen.

"Fuck no! Tressel does not know what he's doing sometimes!".

He shouted at the Ohio state highlights angrily as he became more engrossed. What the hell were they playing at?

Puck was so angry at the state of game he didn't notice his phone vibrate for another 20 minutes. When he did he saw a message in reply.

_My sides are almost splitting with laughter Puck. Please do not text me again, my boyfriend Sam is here and I would hate for him to beat your ass for hitting on me at all but especially while I'm recovering. I'll see you in next week, if by some miracle you show up to class for a second time this year. _

Well damn if that didn't ruin his Saturday morning. And she thought Sam could beat him down? Oh she needed a ticket to the gun show.

Puck didn't care to think why but he had an overwhelming urge to show Fabray that he is not a Lima Loser.

Again.

She needed to pay attention more when he proved these things.

And he needed to use his badass-ness for good rather than evil. Starting with Quinn Fabray.

**-Finn's Sunday-**

Finn locked his truck as he wandered aimlessly into the store.

His mom had sent him for milk. She was having panic attacks about running out of milk.

They didn't even use that much milk.

He didn't notice the pink car in parking lot.

Instead he wandered through the store deciding it was the perfect time to get some chips (something the kitchen _was_ seriously lacking) and maybe some dip.

It was only when he was deciding sour cream or ranch chips that he heard a voice. A voice he recognized.

He followed it over to the next aisle where he saw Rachel picking out various vegetables. She had her iPod earphones in but was singing to herself softly but slowly getting louder and more powerful.

_...What's the difference if I say I'll go away_

_When I know I'll come back on my knees someday _

_For whatever my man is, I am his forever more._

_Oh, my man, I love him so, he'll never know. _

_All my life is just despair, but I don't care_

_When he takes me in his arms..._

Everyone else in the store walked past her with a raised eyebrow or giving her a wide berth as if her crazy singing was contagious but Finn just watched her for a moment. He couldn't remember the song but he knew it was from Funny Girl, on the odd occasion he'd drifted off while watching it with her, he normally woke up around this song.

Finn walked away quickly for a number of reasons. Firstly he didn't want to watch when someone came and told her to be quiet because he could only imagine her being offended and that would be hilarious. Secondly he didn't want to risk being caught watching her, there was only so long she could stand there picking out carrots and peppers before turning around. Finally he wasn't entirely sure he could handle listening to her sing a song about loving 'her man'.

And he was making such good progress. He actually manages a few minutes each day now when he can look at her and not straight away see her smashing his heart with a mallet. It's progress.

He returned to the chips, grabbing a bag of both flavour chips and hurrying to grab his moms precious milk.

"Stop that orange!" he heard as he turned at the end of the aisle and bumped into Rachel sending her flying to the floor.

Finn looked down at the sight before him, she was sitting on the floor, hair falling over her face from the fall and a orange was rolling somewhere past his foot.

"Finn! I'm... erm... Sorry. I was... Runaway orange. I didn't want anyone to slip."

He laughed as he reached out a hand the help her up. The runaway orange thing was kinda funny.

"I'm glad you find my falling so funny. I'll look out for you next time", she said with a shy smile.

"Sorry Rach I just...", his laughter stopped.

Did he just call her Rach?

Now Finn felt awkward, between calling her Rach and laughing at her things were starting to feel normal.

And they weren't supposed to feel that normal again yet. Were they?

"I should go. My dads will start to worry. It was nice bumping into you, I guess. I'll see you at glee", she rushed the words before returning to her shopping cart and wheeling it away.

He watched her walk away with a slight blush in her cheeks. It may not have felt right to let her leave but it was easiest. He still needed space. Didn't he?

Finn felt like he had far too many issues swimming in his brain for a quick visit to the grocery store. His encounter with her had messed with his head. All he wanted some chips and milk.

And he still hadn't worked out her secret. A secret that was annoying most of glee club.

He paid for his items and threw them in the front seat of his truck. Finn wasn't sure how but on a day where he'd managed to not think about Rachel, he'd bumped into Rachel.

Now he couldn't stop thinking about Rachel.

Maybe he should finally talk to someone about this.

**-Quinn's Monday- **

"That routine was so lifeless watching it has made my body decay faster", Sue shouted into her megaphone.

Quinn was doing the splits across the arms of two random Cheerios who had lifted her into the pose after she perfectly executed a double back flip.

But such was life on the Cheerios, there was no such thing as perfection. She was sure she would be told exactly how many degrees her back flip was off by, thereby voiding it's perfection. She could sense the girls wobble ever so slightly below her and she knew that they would be punished for that.

Quinn couldn't blame them. They had been outside, in the last week of January, practicing. Coach Sylvester had only succumbed to practicing inside when one girl declared she had frost bite and therefore couldn't jump. They had only been inside 10 minutes and Quinn had barely adjusted to the inside temperature herself, so she couldn't blame them for their still chilly, slightly wobbly states.

It didn't mean she was going to help them. Sylvester was going to take them down.

"Sasha! Carly! Hit the showers! Via regular screening I know that the Queen Bee is not pregnant and is carrying no extra weight. Which means you two are throwing the entire routine into DISARRAY for nothing. Get out of my sight before I launch rabid beavers after you".

Quinn jumped off of the two girls as one burst into tears and the other chased after her.

"Fabray! Don't think I didn't see that lean to the right in that last flip. All of you, start again and this time try to succeed for once in your lives. You two!", she pointed at two trembling Cheerios on the sidelines, "replace those two disappointments and don't make the same mistake of SUCKING".

The routine started again. And again. And again.

An hour later Coach Sylvester sighed, "my eyes have seen more carnage today than a hillbilly episode of Cops. We're done for today. Hopefully you'll all trip over some talent on the way home. And you! Laura! You're cut".

She turned away without batting an eyelid and Becky followed after her, crossing something out on a clip boarded list, as she did.

Quinn watched as Laura hung her head and trailed out before everyone else. Everybody knew that sometimes a random Cheerio was cut but it didn't stop everyone avoiding Laura like the plague, in fear of inheriting the bad luck by talking to her.

"So Blondie you survived the Tequila trifecta?", Santana asked with a grin while they walked from the locker room after practice.

Quinn groaned, "please don't remind me San. I was a wreck on Saturday".

"Who can blame you? After you ripped out Kens insides for the entire party to see you had to drink something to take the edge off".

"I did not rip out his insides..."

Santana interrupted her quickly, "no you just spent the evening drinking, then complaining you couldn't drink wine coolers anymore and then nearly dumping your boyfriend publicly because he has no game and isn't funny".

Quinn's floundered, "how did you know what we argued about?"

"Like you said, the boy has no game, I gave him a beer and he crumbled like Sasha and Carly out there. Told me all about your argument. Way harsh of you by the way. I'm proud".

Brittany chimed in, "so can we put them together again or are they like eggs?"

"No sweetie", Santana responded before turning back to Quinn, "no judgement, it's cool to have random head bitch back".

Quinn was slightly stunned by the conversation. Yes she'd somehow retained a friendship with Santana after the boob job saga and yes she'd got her rightful place as head cheerio back but did Quinn want to be head bitch again?

She enjoyed the safety of her popularity but after seeing life from the outside she didn't want to be like Santana again, she knows she used to be 'that girl' but Quinn didn't want to forget the growing up she did last year.

It would be like forgetting any of it ever happened. Like _she_ ever happened.

She took a deep breath as if to inhale some normality and it was then that she saw Sam waiting by her locker faithfully. Santana and Brittany skipped ahead and made for the doors.

The sight of him stopped Quinn dead in her tracks.

Wasn't stringing Sam along a bitchy thing to do? If she was honest there was a lot of stuff she wasn't over... people she wasn't over.

She didn't love Sam. That was one of the many charms he possessed. She wore his ring, because that's what she was supposed to do, right? And yes he was confident and he stands up for what's right but she didn't love him.

That's why it was so easy to be with him.

But was it fair? The boy obviously had feelings for her circa the promise ring.

Quinn picked up towards him again as he smiled and held his hand out for her. She tried to ignore that she didn't feel butterflies at the touch of his hand. She tried to ignore that she only let him kiss her cheek in public.

She tried to ignore that she'd been ignoring all of this for weeks.

But something in the tinniest of sighs she let out as he wrapped a arm around her told her that she couldn't ignore it anymore. She wouldn't be that girl again, stuck in a relationship that she was _supposed_ to be in.

It was time for Quinn to do what she intended at the start of this year and fly solo. But how to tell him?

**-Rachel's Tuesday-**

Rachel had become interesting.

She wasn't an idiot. It didn't take a rocket scientist to work out why. She'd had a brief 'discussion' with Mr. Schuester and ever since the glee club had been dying to find out what had changed. Because suddenly Rachel Berry was singing Queen and not arguing for solos so much anymore.

That wasn't a huge change, she'd passed on a solo after sectionals. She'd sung different genre songs before including rock.

It's not like she had stopped giving her opinions or singing all together.

_That _would have been a sign of the apocalypse.

But they were obsessed. Mercedes had asked her out shopping. Tina asked Rachel for help with a song preparation. Even Quinn had told her that she was "more bearable than usual".

Rachel knew what had changed for her. She was one step closer to the dream, she was on the path. She was going to Juilliard. Somehow it had calmed her.

Of course she still sang, performed and took solos when offered in glee, but she didn't feel the burden of being talented was _that_ heavy anymore.

She needed to keep her talent fresh but she had already been accepted, Juilliard had accepted her because they'd seen how talented she really was.

Perhaps it was the confirmation of that which she had believed in all these years (herself), but after coming to terms with being accepted to Juilliard she suddenly didn't need to tell everyone how talented she was anymore.

Because she knew it. And Juilliard knew it. And if the glee club didn't know it now they would once she completed her seminal work in the Broadway revival of Funny Girl.

And she knew they'd appreciate her when she left a year early.

So she walked into the choir room with a smile on her face, of course she was the first one here. It was a rarity she wasn't. She sat down at the piano and began to play to herself because apparently Brad wasn't even here yet.

Rachel played the opening chords to Don't Stop before singing the first line herself.

_Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere._

A smile played on her lips at the resonance of the words. She would be driving to New York of course but she thought it appropriate how that first line summed her up.

And Rachel's world was lonely. The one friend she did make in glee was forced out of the school, the rest of glee club only wanted to know her when there was gossip to dish and Finn? He seemed to be moving on.

She hadn't seen him with anyone else but he was getting on with his life it seemed, still avoiding her as best he can but getting on regardless.

And Rachel would get on with her life too. She had decided.

She began to idly play the keys again as Mr. Schuester walked in, placing his bag on the piano.

"Good afternoon Rachel"

"Good Afternoon, Mr Schue", she responded not looking up at him.

"Rachel?"

She forced her eyes away from the keys to see him looking at her with a warm smile on his face, "yes Mr. Schue?"

His forehead creased as he spoke, "have you thought about when you're going to tell everyone yet? I mean, surely you'd like your friends to know? You only have four months left at McKinley"

She smiled to herself, "Kurt already knows so I can't think of anyone else I'd like to know. None of them care Mr. Schue, I am simply a voice to them. A voice they now think they can replace", she threw him a pointed look briefly, "I only informed you because I believe you should utilize my talent while I am still here".

"Rachel, glee club is about more than your voice. We're a family, they would want to know"

She looked back down at the piano and continued to play, "they only want to know what my gossip is. They rejected me once Finn and I broke up. They will only care once I'm not here to sing for them and save them".

She resisted the urge to say that families don't keep secrets about sleeping with people.

He sighed, she could tell he was frustrated so she continued.

"Mr. Schue I know glee club isn't just about _my_ voice but neither is it my family. I offer my support time and time again for them, without being asked, and whenever I _hope_ for the same in return, they let me down. I know you're trying to achieve some sort of group unity but I think you may have better luck once I'm gone. I'm sorry. I am truly grateful for what you have done for this club though. Glee club would not be here without you".

Rachel stood up and walked over to her seat in the front without another word. She sat down with a smile at him but she couldn't quite read the emotion on his face.

Brittany, Santana and Artie walked in at that point and Santana smirked as she spotted Rachel, "man hands! I've already worked out my solo audition. So you may as well rest that voice of yours, I doubt we'll be needing it".

Rachel didn't respond as they sat down but simply raised an eyebrow to her teacher in a told-you-so type of way.

He looked between the two for a moment and he looked on the verge of saying something. Apparently his resolve was interrupted as Puck, Mike and Tina arrived and the room got louder while he turned back to his bag rather hopelessly.

Rachel laughed to herself for thinking, for a moment, that someone might stand up for her. And Mr. Schue of all people. If Rachel wanted to be defended then she had to stand up for herself and she had found it was easier not to even bother with that.

Besides Rachel knew exactly what she was going to sing to 'audition' for the solo and she knew it would beat whatever screechy song Santana decided to do.

**-Finn's Wednesday-**

Finn looked at his ringing phone as he took it out of his pocket and stepped away from his homework. He was glad to (finally) see Kurt's name on the caller ID after Kurt had been engaged all of Monday evening and his phone off on Tuesday.

"Hello?", he asked.

"Ahh Finnegan. You called?", Kurt replied in a crisp tone.

Finn ran a hand through his hair wondering where to begin, "erm yeah. I actually called because I wondered if, you know, if we could just talk about stuff?"

"Talk? With me? Erm, ok Finn. What is it you want to talk about?"

"Rachel"

Somehow Finn didn't expect that answer to be met with silence. A sigh or a comment about her clothes or something maybe, but not silence.

"Are you sure I'm the best person to talk to about this?", Kurt finally asked.

"Well yeah dude. You're my brother and you're like an outsider and stuff and I can't really talk to my mom about this..."

"Ok, ok. Go ahead"

Finn sighed in relief before starting, "well it's like obviously you know what went down with Puck and everything. And I still look at them sometimes and get really mad but more and more now I just want everything to go back to how it was. I saw Rach on Sunday and she made me laugh. I didn't think I'd ever laugh again around her again. But she cheated on me! I still can't believe she did it".

"Why did you call me Finn?", Kurt did sigh this time.

"Because dude! My best friend was the dude she cheated on me with so I can't talk to him and you're my brother!"

Kurt sounded like he was beginning to get agitated, "no I mean do you want me to tell you what you want to hear or do you want me to tell you the truth?"

Finn gulped slowly. "The truth".

Kurt wasted no time like he'd had the speech prepared or something. "You're an idiot. And I mean that in the nicest of ways but it's true. Firstly you still don't get why she did what she did. Secondly you obviously still love her, you just called her Rach for crying out loud. A month ago you couldn't even say 'Rachel' without blubbering or punching something. And the biggest reason you're an idiot? You obviously want her back but you haven't thought to tell her that, you're still avoiding her and you've barely said anything to her since you told her, firmly, that it was over. Did you ever think she might be moving on?"

Finn sat in a stunned silence barely grasping the phone to his ear and it was a few minutes before he found his words.

"She's moving on? What do you know? How do you know I'm avoiding her? How do you know why she cheated on me?", there was almost accusation in his voice as he shot questions at Kurt.

Kurt coughed, "well... it's... obvious bone head. Think about how you feel about Sam. He's constantly threatening your place as the Quarterback and as the glee stud. That's how Rachel feels about Santana if you times that by a thousand. Santana has made that girls life a living hell for years. Nicknames, bullying, hateful comments. Imagine if Rachel slept with Sam. You suddenly start wondering, is it because he's more popular? Is it because he's a better football player? Is he hotter than me? That's how she felt, well except the football thing. But on top of all that you lied about sleeping with Santana. And you never defended her when Santana _would _start on her. So the whole time a little bit of you has been protecting Santana and supporting her. For Rachel to then find out that you slept with her after the torture she put Rachel through? In a word you SCREWED up. Literally. She went to Puck because he constantly told her she was hot, he made her feel as hot as Santana but he also stood up for her in the green room at sectionals when you didn't. When you should have".

Finn felt like his brain was going to explode. He was struggling to keep up with what Kurt was saying because he was talking about the same speed Rachel did. On top of that he had subconsciously growled in anger when Kurt said Rachel slept with Sam despite knowing it was a lie.

But he got it. Finn felt like someone had punched him straight in the face but he got it.

He had to wonder if he'd avoided his step brother post break up because he didn't want to hear the truth then. He was ready to hear it now though.

But that still didn't explain how Kurt knew all this. "Dude how do you know all this? How do you know about the green room at sectionals and stuff?" realization hit him like a train, "DUDE! Have you been talking to Rachel?"

"If I have Finn then that is my business. She is my friend. Yes she did a very stupid thing to you, believe me I've told her it was stupid but she is my friend".

"Since when? You were just as mean to her as... wait you said she'd moving on. Is she moving on?", panic laced Finn's voice now.

"Finn. It's not really me you should be talking to. You need to talk to her about all of this".

"You're right. You're right. Seriously though, you guys are friends now? No. No. Erm... I need to talk to Rachel".

"Don't worry I won't tell her about our little conversation".

"I guess I need to say thanks or something", Finn shrugged despite Kurt not being able to see him.

"Don't think anything of it. You both hurt each other pretty badly. Neither of you is blameless but I swear to the almighty church of Ga Ga, if you hurt her any more? I will find a way to break you Finn because I can not listen to any more sappy brokenhearted myspace videos. NO MORE!", he was getting hysterical by the end of the last sentence.

"Ok Kurt. Sorry. And thanks. I'm gonna go. Thanks for calling me back. Thanks for telling me the truth", Finn put the phone down the sound of Kurt screeching about having "All By Myself" stuck in his head for days.

He didn't quite know what to do next. He knew what he had to do but not how to do it. And then the revelation of Rachel and Kurt's friendship had been a surprise to Finn. They'd barely tolerated each other in glee.

Mainly though Finn felt like a ton of bricks had been unloaded onto his head. The whole time him and Rachel had been fighting she'd kept screaming "and with Santana. With Santana!". He never quite understood why it was a big deal _who_ he slept with but now he got it.

He was beginning to understand what he'd done.

It didn't take away his hurt, the feeling of betrayal but he understood now that this is what she was feeling too.

That and Kurt's hint that Rachel might be moving on frankly scared Finn in ways he couldn't begin to describe.

He'd let her go once and had to endure watching her get her heart broken by Jesse St. Jackass. He'd sworn he'd never do it again.

Finn held his head in his hands before pulling his laptop out and balancing it dangerously on top of his open homework. The other thing that had bothered Finn had been the mention of myspace videos and Finn figured there would be no better way to build up his tolerance to Rachel before he talked to her.

Clicking onto her page he clicked play on the video posted two days after they officially broke up and her voice filled his room.

_If you leave me now_

_You'll take away the biggest part of me_

_Ooh, no, baby please don't go_

_And if you leave me now_

_You'll take away the very heart of me_

_Ooh, no, baby please don't go_

_Ooh, boy, I just want you to stay_

_A love like ours is love that's hard to find_

_How could we let it slip away_

_We've come too far to leave it all behind_

_How could we end it all this way_

_When tomorrow comes and we both regret_

_The things we said today..._

**-Pucks Thursday-**

Puck had been trying for days now.

He'd (begrudgingly) shown up to all of his classes. He didn't take notes or anything. Hell half the time he wasn't sure what class he was in but he was there. At one point some dumpy teacher asked him a question about degrees in a triangle or some crap and he answered, "Shakespeare".

What?

Of course he knows who Shakespeare is. Chicks love it when you pretend to know about that romantic, dead British dude. He even knows a few lines from when he was trying to bed this chick from the Literature club. She was totally smokin' and he turned on the charm and learnt a poem or something. He can't remember which one though. It was stupid anyway, Shakespeare seriously needed to learn the English language properly.

Point is when the Puckster sets his mind to something he follows through. And there's only only thing on his mind at the minute.

A certain head cheerleader with a certain hot bod under that uniform.

Oh she pretends she's not interested but he can see through that. If there's one thing he learnt last year it's that Fabray secretly hates being popular. She wants to break the rules and cut loose.

Puckzilla is a expert at that.

Badass is his middle name. Breaking rules is his day job. Cutting loose is his way of life.

The fact that Bieber was still following her around like a lost puppy yesterday only made the game that much sweeter. Not that he was going for the whole cheating angle again but this dude was making it too easy. He couldn't stick up for himself with her, he just told her what she wanted to hear. That wasn't what she wanted.

She wanted someone like Puck, who was skilled with his tongue.

Talking... of course he meant talking...

Puck wouldn't take her stuck up head cheerleader crap and she didn't let him get away with anything either. It was perfect. She kept him in line while at the same time not being able to resist his charms.

Have you seen him? No one can resist his charms? His arms should be on a stamp or something.

But that's how Puck ended up going to science on Thursday afternoon, one of the classes he had with Miss. Fabray.

He spotted her as he got into the room (he made sure he got to his classes with her on time) and took the chair in front of her as Brittany was sitting next to her.

He didn't fail to notice the sad look on her face, like somebody had just stolen her bacon or something.

As their teacher got his ass in to gear at the front of the room Puck did something that was totally not lame, but he had to do it to check she was ok.

He ripped a page from his notebook and scrawled a note on it.

_Hey babe, you ok?_

He folded it and slipped it back to her. He heard her open it and write something back as their teacher started talking about the human digestive system.

What. The. Fuck.

That right there? The human body? Messed up.

The paper came flying back over his head and he caught it and unfurled what was now a screwed up ball to read her dainty chick hand writing.

_None of your business Puckerman. I don't need you to make me feel better thanks. Also, you actually have a notebook?_

He frowned at the paper but shrugged his shoulders and wrote back anyway.

_Course babe, gotta take notes and shit right? I'm being serious though. You ok?_

This time he turned to her fully to put the scrunched up ball on her desk and gave her his famous Puckerman puppy dog eyes as he did. Always a winner with the ladies.

He turned back to the front with a smirk and uncaring whether or not his teacher was watching him (he wasn't).

Once again she repeated the process of throwing the balled up note to him.

_Actually Puck I'm not ok. Thanks for asking. But I don't really want to talk about it with you of all people. Oh and you should probably pay attention if you want pass this class then. _

Well damn, he'd made progress enough to get a real answer out of her but 'him of all people'? What's up with that? And the last sentence, well he can take a hint.

The Puckster doesn't need to beg for a girlie conversation. He didn't want one anyway.

Although it would sure beat having to listen to his messed up stuff.

He knew there must have been a reason why he'd always skipped science class. It was disgusting. He looked down at his stomach and actually cringed a little at the thought of what it was doing right now with that cafeteria lunch he ate.

Gross.

Puck did leave the class with high hopes though. He'd cracked the first layer on the Quinn shell. Score.

Before he left the class he slipped the note to her one more time with a grin at his own genius.

_Anytime you need to talk babe, you know where I am. Even if you actually want to just talk. _

Oh Puck you are the man. It would not be long before Quinn Fabray was your woman.

Even if you said you'd never have a woman and you'd swim the seas of McKinley like the fine ass sex shark that you are.

Regardless of that she would be his, no doubt.

He'd already been Santana free for four days now and he'd turned up to classes for two weeks.

It was only a matter of time.

**-Rachel's Friday-**

Rachel sat in her room happily reading the student residence pack sent to her by Juilliard.

She'd spent the last few weeks using her free time to research every possible aspect of student life, the college and the area of New York.

Not that she didn't know these things already but a refresh of the information could never do any harm.

She'd already fully researched, planned and budgeted financially for her first year based on her partial scholarship (for her academic merit) and her college fund. Her fathers had assured her that she need not worry so much and that they would ensure her a college experience free of financial headaches but she insisted that they allow her to plan.

Everyone knew Rachel loved to plan.

She'd also already signed up to various groups on facebook for Juilliard students and she had already talked to other people who would be attending with her in the fall.

All in all Rachel was prepared. Months in advance, she was prepared. If she could do it without the possibility of Kurt brandishing sharp implements around her she'd probably of already packed.

Instead she text Kurt all evening when she found out little details like the student discount on theatre tickets or vegan meal plan offered in halls. He was only upset that she hadn't found out about the closet space yet but she'd said that whoever made it to Nationals (because it would be New Directions or the Warblers) could visit the halls while in New York and measure up.

So when Rachel received another text message she didn't even bother to look away from the college papers on her desk as her thumb automatically hit the open button.

Her eyes darted to the screen once it was open to read the message.

_Rachel I'm not promising anything but I think I'm ready to talk to you if that's ok?_

For a second her brain couldn't work out why Kurt had sent her such a cryptic message but then she caught sight of the senders name.

Finn Hudson* (Because he was her star)

Too much air was getting to her lungs. The phone slipped from her hand with a small bang as it hit the desk. She then scrambled to grab it as if it was running away from her.

She hit the reply button and then stared blankly at the compose message screen.

What in the world could she write?

Rachel Berry was at a loss for words.

It was hardly her fault. Text messaging is so much harder to gauge. Is this a good talk? A bad talk?

Rachel caught sight of the papers still splayed on her desk below her.

Does he know?

No, he couldn't know.

But if he wanted to talk how much longer could she keep it from him?

No more secrets, ever.

_Of course Finn. Would you like to talk in person? Over the phone? Please let me know what will be more comfortable for you. _

Hitting send she forced the air out of her, deflating her chest all at once as she opened up a new compose message.

_Kurt! Finn wants to talk. He wants to talk. That is a good thing, right? _

Kurt replied before Finn did.

_Yes! That's only what you've been waiting for. Do I have to spell everything out for you my precious little diva? And yes when I said little I meant short. _

Rachel smiled despite herself and stopped herself from replying to inform him he's not that much taller than her.

Instead she got up and took her bottled water as she moved to sit on her bed. She wanted to be comfortable should Finn call her, and she needed water to prevent dry mouth should she talk too much.

Or _when_ she talks to much, she should really accept that the talking too much was going to happen.

Rachel stared at the phone in her hand willing it to buzz, ring, explode. Anything. She felt like she'd been thrown a lifeline but the rope had been found out to be too short. Or something equally life threatening.

Before she knew it the bed plan backfired.

Half an hour later her eyes were lazily drooping as her grasp on the phone eased. It had almost slipped from her hand completely when it eventually sprang back to life, rousing Rachel with it.

_I think we should like talk face to face and stuff. Are you free tomorrow? Maybe we can meet up somewhere? _

Her fingers acted as if they had a mind of their own as she replied.

_Maybe we could go bowling? _

She'd hit send before she remembered the last times they had been bowling. All of them (including the first time) had been romantic despite the possibility of bacteria laced bowling balls.

Rachel briefly wondered if he would suggest somewhere less romantic for them.

_I guess that's cool. Meet me there at 4? See you tomorrow Rachel._

She fell back into her pillows after responding confirming their meeting(?). Date? Talk? Friendly outing?

Whatever it was it gave Rachel a mingled sense of hope and worry. She'd have to tell him about Juilliard and she wondered if that would hinder any progress they had (apparently) made.

At the same time he had initialed the talk. She didn't know what had changed from the boy who barely looked her in the eye but whatever influenced this she was incredibly thankful for.

Maybe Saturday would be a good day.


	3. Chapter 3

_-Authors Notes-_

_Hello my darlings. I feel bad because I'm normally a lot quicker updating but the two new episodes took over my life for a little while. And there was some stuff in there that really intrigued me as well. I'm undecided if I will incorporate any new stuff into the story but I guess you'll have to see as we go along. Generally I don't think I'll be borrowing from the plot of the new episodes or anything but I may steal a line or two in homage. _

_Anyway the valentines episode made me fall in love with Puck in all manor of ways. I mean I already quite enjoyed that character but I swear Puck almost distracted me from everything else in that episode. the absolute fear on that boys face when he discovered the library! Oh and the Superbowl episode. Genius. As much as I miss my Finchel fixes I think the two new episodes were best of the second season so far. Really back on to top glee form. _

_So wow. Thank you so much reviewers, alerters and you favourite peeps. Amazing as ever. I love getting your feedback. _

_Another reason this chapter took so long was not just the new glee eps but also I was just generally a bit stuck in places. Break ups are hard to write man. I hope it's not too noticeable._

_Two songs in this chapter. First is '1, 2, 3, 4' by Plain White Tees, second is 'New York, New York' by Frankie Sinatra. _

_See you real soon kids. Oh and I'm working on my first out of Finchel fic which is a Puckleberry. We'll see how it goes. May be a few weeks before I upload it. It's a bit of fun really._

_Also I'm normally quite good with editing but my eyes hurt and I've been editing this chapter for 2 days now. It's going up and any mistakes be damned. XX_

_Don't Stop Believing in Finchel. Much Love. _

_-X-_

**-The Following Week-**

**-Finn's Saturday-**

He tied up the laces on his bowling shoes wondering how he'd ended up here.

Bowling?

Seriously?

Every time he'd been bowling with Rachel it had ended in making out. EVERY. TIME.

His palms were sweaty and he watched out of the corner of his eye as she tapped her foot nervously while sitting a seat over from him.

"Do you wanna bowl first?", he said nodding his head towards their lane. She nodded and jumped up walking towards the balls.

He watched her debate over which ball to play with before she settled on a light blue one, her usual not being there.

She walked towards the pins and kissed the ball, as became her tradition.

This was Rachel right? She was still Rachel. He could do this.

She bowled a split and he couldn't help but grin as she turned back to him with a pout.

"I just need to warm up", she assured him.

"Hang on", he raised a finger to stop her before running to the empty lane three over. He returned with a pink ball in his hand and her face lit up, "you're not going to get anywhere without this".

"I hope you realize that now I have this ball you're going to lose", she smiled playfully as she took the ball from him like he would change his mind about giving it to her.

"Whatever you say Rach, don't forget who taught you how to bowl".

There was a effortless competitiveness between them as the game continued. Once they slipped into bowling mode or whatever it was there was almost no awkwardness. They kept the conversation light and teased each other until Finn threw his final ball.

"And that is how it's done", he said with a fist pump in the air.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, "obviously if I had played the entire game with _my_ pink ball then that would never have happened. And anyway you have longer arms so you can reach further down the lane ensuring a better aim and..."

"It's ok that you suck at bowling Rach", he grinned as he put his hands in his pockets.

"I do not suck at bowling. You're just narrowly better than I am. Sometimes", she eyed him nervously, "do you want to order a pizza?"

He nodded because he didn't know what else to say. He kind of figured that they'd end up talking after the game. They had to talk, he couldn't avoid it. That's the whole reason he asked to see her.

After they ordered and sat down the awkward silence overtook them. They sat just looking away from each other.

"Finn, I need to tell you something...", she finally said.

He interrupted her, he couldn't stop himself once she broke the silence, "actually can I say something first?"

She nodded for him to continue. He ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"Rachel this is really weird, I mean what you did... It's still bad you know? But I wanted to tell you something. I wanted to let you know that I understand. I understand why it mattered who I slept with. I get it, how much I screwed up. She means nothing to me. You have to know that when I did it I was angry and jealous and I wasn't thinking. I know that I made you feel how I feel right now. I'm sorry".

He only looked into her eyes a few times as he said it but regretted each glance as her expression remained unchanged but her eyes slowly became glassy.

"Finn that doesn't excuse what I did. I cheated on you. You were right, I knew how you'd feel about it and I did it anyway. But Puck also meant nothing".

"I'm not saying that what you did was ok Rachel because it's not but I should have known how you'd feel about Santana and..."

She smiled despite the tears threatening to fall from her eyes, "please don't try to defend me Finn".

"Look Rach I don't want to end up arguing about this again and I don't want to hear any more apologies from you. I just... I want to be friends again. I don't know what will happen in the future but right now I want to be friends. Can we?"

He wished he knew what she was thinking as she nodded at him. She seemed so sad still.

"Of course Finn. That would be nice, to be friends again".

"So there was something you wanted to tell me?"

A middle aged woman appeared out of nowhere and said "order up!", as she placed a pizza in front of them.

They both looked at the pizza for a second, distracted by the cheesy goodness until she looked up at him with a wide, genuine smile.

"It's good news actually. Since you want to be friends again I'd like you to know. I'm going to be leaving this summer. This will be my last year at McKinley".

"What the hell Rach?", he asked with confusion. He had to cover his mouth to make sure the pizza he'd started eating didn't escape.

"I was accepted to Juilliard as a accelerated entrant. It means I'll be starting college a year early, I leave in the fall", she finished with a smile that was somehow wider.

Finn was aware that his mouth was hanging open, that he'd dropped the slice of pizza from his hand and he hadn't said anything.

She looked like that's what she was waiting for. Him to say something.

He wanted to say congratulations but he couldn't find the words. She was leaving? She... she was only little. How would she survive New York on her own?

"You're really going?"

Her face creased, "yes of course. It's my dream. Aren't you happy for me?"

A million emotions flood him at once, happiness was in there somewhere, but the main three were definitely anger, frustration and sadness.

Finn felt his head fall into his arms on the table.

**-Quinn's Sunday-**

She waited for Sam by the door.

He wasn't late, she was just anxious.

She'd spent hours pouring over the matter. How do you break up with someone? Her and Finn just exploded after the revelation of babygate, there was no official break up, there didn't really need to be. With Puck she did it over text because after Beth she just couldn't look him in the eyes and tell him. She thinks he understood.

But Sam had been nothing but sweet. Quinn had to do it in person and do it right.

A knock on the door cut through her nerves and she jumped up to answer it.

"Hey beautiful!", he beamed.

Sam walked in and leaned to kiss her but she moved slightly offering, again, only her cheek.

She watched his face furl in confusion. She usually never denied him kisses at home.

"Quinn, you ok?", he asked as she motioned for him to go through and sit on the sofa.

"We need to talk", she answered solemnly.

His face lost the beaming smile but he still didn't seem to comprehend what was about to happen.

The innocence in his eyes made her mouth feel, suddenly, very dry.

But she had to do it. Quick like a band aid. Just say it.

"Sam... we.. I don't think this is working".

He didn't say anything but his lips parted just slightly like he was going to speak but no words came out.

She reached out and placed her hand on his hand to offer her reassurance, "I don't think we are working. I just don't feel like I'm ready to be in a relationship. After everything that happened..."

He pulled his hand out from under hers and looked at his feet.

"I didn't push you, I didn't rush anything. I've waited patiently, I've looked after you...", his voice was soft despite the hurt behind his words.

"I shouldn't have let us start in the first place. I wasn't ready for _this_ relationship so soon. I'm not ready. I'm so sorry".

He looked up at her, "there isn't somebody else?"

She couldn't work out why that question twisted her up but she shook her head as she slipped his ring from her finger and reached out to hand it back to him.

"No. I gave you that ring because I want to marry you someday and that hasn't changed".

"Sam, I can't promise you that. I don't..."

His jaw tightened but he softly wrapped her hand around the ring as they both stood up.

"Don't. You don't have to wear it or be where I am or anything. Hell, you're breaking up with me but I still think I love you Quinn. So I promise to wait for you".

"You can't do that".

He smiled at her, "you can't stop me".

He walked towards the door and she called after him, "I'm not promising it'll ever be you Sam".

"Even if it's never me, you are worth the wait".

Quinn was breaking up with him and yet she was the one who broke down into tears. She didn't want to hurt him but it was the only way he'd understand.

"It will never be you", she said as he stopped a step away from the door. "I don't love you Sam, we're not right together. You need to move on because I won't pick you".

He didn't turn back around but Quinn could hear him take a deep breath, "I love you Quinn".

The door was opened and closed again before she blinked and he was gone. Quinn was sure that she would have preferred him to get angry and storm out. Instead the utter pain in his voice as he'd said his final words threatened to engulf her. The guilt was eating away at her.

Because there was no hope. Quinn knew she could never love Sam. He wasn't enough for her, he didn't challenge her, he didn't get her.

It wasn't his fault. Her relationship with Sam was a cheap knockoff of her relationship with Finn.

And her relationship with Finn had been a formality, it had existed to fulfill expectations.

The head cheerleader and the Quarterback. The head cheerleader and the _new_ Quarterback.

She needed to change the record.

She ran to her room and looked in the mirror as she dabbed the tears from her face, despite the fact that she was still crying. Once the tears eventually subsided she turned away from the mirror image of her puffy red eyes to look at the thin gold band in her hand.

Quinn took the ring box he'd offered it to her in and slipped the ring inside before placing it in her bag for school the next day.

She had to finish this.

**-Rachel's Monday-**

Rachel looked at herself in the mirror adorning her locker door before scooting around inside for the books she would need for her first class.

She sighed at the thought of the rest of the day. She'd never dreaded it more. A slushie she could handle. The hate of her fellow students she could handle. Even Jacob she could handle.

She had always handled it, usually (except in the case of Jacob) with a smile.

However the thought of seeing Finn after their weekend 'chat' turned her stomach.

She had actually at 6:30 that morning considered feigning illness. Of course she wouldn't have gone through with it but the fact that she had actually considered it, for even a moment, said more about the situation than her inner monologue could ever express.

He'd been so... unsupportive.

The look in his face when she'd told him both broke her heart all over again and made her blood boil at the same time.

Of course she still loved him but he was the one who asked to meet her. He was the one who asked for no more apologies. He was the one who wanted to be friends again.

So she told her _friend_ her good news.

Only to have him ask if she was really going?

Of course she was. She'd known her dream to perform on Broadway since she was 4 years (and 5 months) old. She'd known that her dream included going to Juilliard since her 7th birthday and she'd known she was going a year early for a exactly 3 weeks.

And he'd known her dream almost as long as he'd known her. She'd certainly told him enough when they were together.

Rachel could allow for him to be shocked at the news of her leaving a year early, but beyond the initial surprise his reaction was immature and selfish, and to leave her in the middle of the bowling alley with an uneaten pizza and and no explanation was ridiculous.

She'd never seen a more needless storm out.

At least when she stormed out it had significance.

She'd tried calling him but he'd turned his phone off. She'd text him but he hadn't replied. She even resorted to email but again no response.

Thankfully Kurt had visited Sunday and taken her out for what he labeled, "emergency retail therapy and new york wardrobe research". At this point shopping with Kurt had become his way of slowly recalibrating her wardrobe. Not that she'd worn her new outfits to school yet but the agreement was she could dress how she wanted until the summer.

But even spending the day with Kurt on Sunday and listening to all the reasons why nobody at Juilliard will tolerate knee socks had done nothing for the intense feelings of apprehension she was currently dealing with.

For a brief, glorious bowling game she had felt like they had made progress. She didn't know what had changed with Finn or what had sparked his decision to talk to her again. She would have asked him if she'd have had the chance but for whatever reason he had decided to forgive her enough to be friends.

Of course she was sure that in time it would lead to him forgiving her enough to be romantically entangled again but she would take what she could get at the moment.

So she had the high hopes of friendship with Finn Hudson dangled in front of her like a toy only to find it taken away just as quickly?

She was a combination of angry and hurt.

What if that was it? What if Finn decided enough was enough?

She _almost_ blamed Mr. Schuester, "surely you'd like your friends to know", she repeated childishly in her head.

Rachel slammed her locker shut with a bang in the hopes that the noise would obliterate the thoughts from the head but the bang simply vibrated around her eardrums for a few seconds before she once again began worrying over Finn.

"Noah!", she called as she spotted his mohawk passing by her locker.

"sup Berry?", he asked nonchalantly as he carried on walking, forcing her to walk with him.

"Actually I was wondering if you'd spoken to or seen Finn?"

"No. He's been extra moody this weekend. Said he broke his phone or something. I dunno".

She tried to hide the shock and relief in her face but he caught it anyway, "why? What's going on Berry?"

"I don't know what you are talking about Noah. See you at glee".

She turned to escape quickly and head in the opposite direction to first period English but heard him call after her, "whatever. Catch you later Berry".

Rachel swept into English and took her seat at the front staring at the door while waiting for him to arrive.

She was still staring when their teacher arrived.

She was still starring when their teacher closed the door after a few straggling students arrived and began the class.

Her eyes continued to dart to the door occasionally during the lesson and Rachel decided it was too coincidental that he wasn't in today.

So_ somebody_ had feigned illness.

**-Puck's Tuesday-**

Puck had come up with a plan.

After Finn punked out on a massive Halo marathon on Sunday, Puck had put his skills at life to amazing use by creating his 12 step program to awesomeness.

The awesomeness being Quinn Fabray. It may or may not have been exactly 12 steps, he didn't exactly count them. Whatever. Point is Puck is in business. School is in session. Quinn is in his sights.

See Puck may be a reformed sex shark (what? his baby mama totally digs on the monogamy thing) but he still had shark like senses.

And sharks can taste blood in the water.

But Puck could taste a break up at 100 yards.

He hadn't had confirmation yet but three things were clear to him.

1. Quinn was a walking wrecking ball. He'd seen her go from overly bitchy to the verge of tears and back again in the space of about an hour.

2. Sam was slouching around the school like someone just stole his blankie.

3. Yesterday he saw a flash of hand during glee club and BINGO. No stupid promise ring.

It was on like Donkey Kong.

So Puck knew what he had to do. This week was glee club auditions for solos and Puck was going to try out. So what if all the chicks were trying out and since Hudson wasn't in yet this week he would be the only guy trying out for a solo?

He had it on good authority Wheels might be trying something out, but for now Puck would be the first guy to go for it. No biggie. He could totally start a male solo revolution.

As always glee needed his badassness to save the day and salvage some much needed guy solo time.

Besides serenading was like the second best thing he did.

So Puck walked onto the stage of the auditorium where glee rehearsals were all week, with his guitar and a song.

The rest of the glee club were scattered in the aisles and Mr. Schue sat in the front. Not that he was worried about anyone else, including Sam who was sitting with his arms crossed in a huff. His target was locked and loaded. Blondie was sitting middle row, center, right between Tina and Santana.

Perfect position for eye sex during this song. Because that was part of his solo.

"Ok guys, guys. Listen up. So Puck has got a song to audition for the solo for regionals. So Puck, take it away", Mr Schue motioned with his hand.

Puck stood center stage and began strumming.

_1, 2, (1, 2, 3, 4)  
__Givin' me more love than I have ever had  
__Make it all better when I'm feelin' sad  
__Tell me that I'm special even when I know I'm not_

_Make it feel good when I hurt so bad  
__Barely gettin' mad, I'm so glad I found you  
__I love bein' around you_

_You make it easy, a__s easy as 1, 2 (1, 2, 3, 4)_

He made sure to look up at Quinn as he sang the chorus.

_There's only one thing to do  
__Three words for you  
__I love you  
__There's only one way to say  
__Those three words and that's what I'll do  
__I love you_

_Givin' me more love from the very start  
__Piece me back together when I fall apart  
__Tell me things you never even tell your closest friends_

_Make it feel good when I hurt so bad  
__Best that I've had, I'm so glad I found you  
__I love bein' around you_

_You make it easy, as easy as 1, 2 (1, 2, 3, 4)_

_There's only one thing to do  
__Three words for you  
__I love you  
__There's only one way to say  
__Those three words and that's what I'll do  
__I love you_

_(I love) I love you_

_You make it easy, as easy as 1, 2 (1, 2, 3, 4)  
__There's only one thing to do  
__Three words for you  
__I love you_

_There's only one way to say  
__Those three words and that's what I'll do  
__I love you_

_I love you_

Puck didn't smirk as he finished but just threw one last smooth operator look at Quinn before Mr. Schue clapped loudly which started off the rest of them clapping.

He was so worried about subtly staring at her (he's not a stalker) and figuring out what she thought that he didn't even care about singing the sappiest song he'd ever sung. He didn't even care that he'd pretty much just said the 'L' word more than he'd ever said it in his life before.

He especially didn't care about Sam who looked like he was about to either cry (what a girl) or jump him (his guns were nothing compared to Pucks).

"Puck that was great. Very honest and open, a brilliant, personal solo. Looks like the girls are going to have some tough competition".

A few of the girls eyes him dangerously and Mercedes scoffed but Mr. Schue, ignoring that, beamed at him. Puck took his seat feeling pretty damn good about himself and his chances.

As Santana took the stage and started sorting out the music for her solo Puck flipped his phone out to initiate the next phase.

_Seriously babe let me know if you ever need to just talk. I know you better than you think. And my solo was dead serious. The Puckzilla never jokes in song. _

Puck 1. The rest of the world (including Sam) -5.

**-Finn's Wednesday-**

Finn got out of his truck Wednesday morning after eventually being declared fit and healthy for school.

He'd pushed his luck by playing a awesome xbox session yesterday to take his mind off of things but his mom had said if he was fit enough to kill 'army guys' then he was healthy enough for school.

He knew before he did anything there was one person he needed to see so he made his way straight to the Spanish room where Mr. Schue was drinking a coffee.

"Mr. Schue?", he said as he knocked on the door.

"Finn! How are you feeling? You're not normally in this early".

Finn rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "yeah after being stuck indoors for 3 days I just kinda wanted to get out of there this morning. And I had to talk to you".

"Don't worry solo auditions are all this week so you've still got time to show the girls how to rock".

Finn walked into the room fully, shutting the door behind him.

"You know don't you?"

Mr. Schue creased his forehead as Finn leaned up against one of the front desks in the front of the class, "know what?"

"Rachel. College. Leaving. You knew didn't you?", each word hurt his throat as it escaped.

The guilt on the teachers face confirmed the answer to Finn's question.

"You didn't think we should know? You didn't think _I_ should know?", Finn snapped at him.

"I tried to get her to tell everyone but she doesn't believe that the glee club are her friends. She still feels like an outcast and this is her news, I can't make her tell anyone".

Finn grumbled because he knew his mentor was right. He wasn't exactly angry with Mr. Schue he just... he just needed someone to yell at. Mr. Schue seemed to realize this.

Finn slumped into a seat nearby him and held his head in his hands, "I don't know what to do. She's leaving. It's not fair. And I can't believe she didn't tell any of us. I know sometimes everyone can be a little harsh but..."

"Finn, all I've ever tried to do is to get you guys to look past everything and be a family. Sometimes you guys are, like when everyone found out Quinn was pregnant and sang 'Lean On Me' or when you guys sang 'To Sir With Love'. It's those moments of unity that have defined this group but... but _neither _of us can't blame Rachel if she still feels like an outsider because of the way she gets treated".

Finn wasn't the smartest guy but he could tell that there was stuff that Mr. Schue wasn't saying and he wondered if his teacher was beginning to realize some of the same things Finn was.

Finn also didn't think it was a good idea to mention that it had been Rachel who organized both those numbers.

That's when something occurred to him.

Glee.

They could sing about it. Wasn't that what everyone was always saying?

He could totally organize a song for Rachel and show her that she's one of them and then maybe she'll tell everyone.

The only problem with that was getting everyone to sing to her without knowing why they were singing. And getting people like Santana to sing to her at all.

Once again the thought of how Santana really treated Rachel crossed his mind.

But Finn had to try. This was something _friends_ did for each other right?

Ignoring the silence that had fallen over the classroom while Finn had been lost in his thoughts he jumped up with a mission, "I've gotta go Mr. Schue but I'm going to make this right".

Mr. Schues face instantly lit up as he caught up with what Finn was saying, "I think that would be a great idea Finn".

Finn left as his teacher returned to his coffee after assuring him he'd help in any way he could. Once he got back into the corridor he noticed there were still limited people around as there were still 15 minutes till first period.

He knew Rachel would be here. She was always early, for everything. He swung around the corner to where he knew her locker was and saw her closing it before spotting him.

He couldn't read her face from that far away but as he got closer to her he thought he saw a scowl. He was concentrating so much on her face he didn't see the footballer march ahead of him with a grape flavored treat in his hand.

She closed her eyes tightly just before the slushie hit her and the sight of the attack caused Finn to stop all at once.

He watched as she opened her eyes before quickly pulling her emergency slushie kit from her locker and storming towards the girls locker room.

Finn jogged over and stood outside the door. He heard the shower and the shuffling of her bag and she came out in a record 10 minutes. Her hair was still slightly damp and clinging to her forehead now but she didn't seem to care.

"Good morning Finn. I trust you are feeling better?", she asked with the sort of look she'd probably give the guy who slushied her.

"Yeah Rach".

"Did you break your phone?"

"Yeah I eh... I dropped it. Into the wall. Listen about Saturday..."

"I completely understand that you were shocked with my news and I can only suppose you needed time. The absurdity of your exit aside, I forgive you for leaving me there, alone, with no explanation and then consequently ignoring me for the past three days. If you'll excuse me though I have to go before someone decides to make another slushie run". When she finished she took off in the direction of the library.

Maybe she was mad. Maybe he shouldn't have left her there.

Maybe he shouldn't have thrown his phone so hard at the wall that it smashed into 9 pieces.

When he saw her calling him.

**-Rachel's Thursday-**

"I could still change my song you know", she said into the phone as she walked the corridor to the auditorium.

"I never thought I would live to see the day that I had to convince Rachel Berry to perform. I'm surely on some sort of high right now, this must be me hallucinating", Kurt replied with laughter in his voice.

She tutted, "I didn't say I wouldn't perform only that I could still change my song. I have back up sheet music in my bag".

"Why would you? The song is perfect for your situation and the glee clubs situation. I only hope that Mr. Schue hasn't changed that much and gives the solo to someone else because if you end up singing this song at regionals I'll be worried".

"Oh Kurt you know just how to boost my ego", she smiled to herself.

"Yes because it needs inflating doesn't it?" He laughed at his own quip.

"I'm glad you find yourself amusing Kurt! Anyway I hate to cut this short but I must go and wow my not so adoring public".

"Wait! Before you go please tell me you spoke to my hapless step brother about the 'bowling brawl'?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. Why did every incident need a name? "You know me Kurt, as stubborn as you are handsome".

"Oh Rachel, you sweetheart"

"Just returning the favour and evading the question at the same time. Talk to you later!", she pressed the end call button and switched her phone to silent before he could call back. She knew he'd chew her ear off later but she had to focus right now and getting into it with Kurt about Finn would do little to prepare her for a performance.

And she couldn't allow herself to become distracted. She'd been working for a week now on her solo audition.

Not that she really needed to. While the song was typically sung by a male lead she felt that anyone with true power and talent could give the song the lift it needed. And Rachel had power and talent but with the added bonus of a award winning smile.

She knew that what she was doing was risky in the sense that she still hadn't decided to tell glee club yet, barring Mr. Schue and Finn.

If Finn's reaction was anything to go by maybe she would just leave at the end of the year and they'd realize when she didn't return.

But as her choice was _not_ to tell them her song choice was... interesting. For those in the know her song would be a statement of better things, for those not in the know (the majority) her song choice would no doubt be construed as Rachel Berry once again flaunting her dreams in their faces.

Rachel however felt that the song was inspired. Not just personally but considering the location of nationals this year she thought it would be a clever song choice for regionals.

However she was under no illusions that she would get the solo, she'd had her words with Mr. Schue and she'd long since given up on him making good choices. He often snubbed her talent in the name of equality, the solo auditions themselves were proof of that.

However _should_ she get the solo?

Well it would come at the perfect time.

She'd sing the song at regionals as her time at McKinley draws to an end and the song would perfectly sum up her feelings, as well as drawing a standing ovation.

Rachel willed herself to stop thinking that far ahead and focus on the moment now, this performance.

She held her sheet music in her hand and stepped out onto the auditorium stage leaving her bag to the side of the stage.

There were no spotlights, it was the middle of the afternoon. The audience was simply her glee club. But stepping out on the stage still gave her the sense of joy she felt with every performance she gave.

She hopped on to the end of the piano, crossed her legs, looked out the audience and gave Brad a nod for him to begin.

_Start spreading the news  
__I'm leaving today  
__I want to be a part of it  
__New York, New York_

_These vagabond shoes  
__They are longing to stray  
__Right through the very heart of it  
__New York, New York_

_I want to wake up in the city  
__That doesn't sleep  
__And find I'm king of the hill  
__Top of the heap_

_My little town blues  
__They're melting away  
__I'm gonna make a brand new start of it  
__In old New York_

_If I can make it there_  
_I'll make it anywhere_  
_It's up to you_  
_New York, New York_

For what had been a controlled performance Rachel jumped from the piano as the music picked up and leapt to the front of the stage belting out the rest of the song as if sharing a piece of her her soul.

_I want to wake up in that city  
__That doesn't sleep  
__And find I'm king of the hill  
__Top of the list  
__Head of the heap  
__King of the Hill_

_These little town blues  
__They have all melted away  
__I am about to make a brand new start of it  
__Right there in old New York_

_And you betcha baby  
__If I can make it there  
__You know, I'm gonna make it just about anywhere  
__Come on, come through  
__New York, New York_

As the final note (which of course she held) rung from her lips Rachel realized there were a few tears running down her cheeks. Not sobs but a few silent tears, of what emotion she wasn't quite sure, but she was riding the high of the song. Not just of hitting the notes and performing well but of what the words meant to her.

She finally looked out to the glee club and saw clapping, actual honest cheering. Every one of them, even Santana and Brittany were clapping (although Santana didn't look happy about it). She reluctantly looked over to see Finn's reaction which wasn't the anger she was expecting but instead a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Mr. Schue was looking at her with a knowing smile that told her even if she didn't get the solo she had still 'knocked it out of the park', as they say. And that he seemed to find her song choice... amusing?

She'd never felt such power and energy surge through her than with that song and she felt that she had redeemed it, giving it a modern edge with the arrangement of music she had prepared earlier in the week.

Rachel carefully navigated down the side steps to stand with the glee club.

"Rachel that was amazing. I mean wow, you nailed it", Mr. Schue offered his opinion.

"I've gotta say miss bossy pants that was pretty much perfect", Mercedes said with a smile. Rachel found they could often find a truce when complimenting each other. One thing they had never lied about was when the other performed well.

"Thank you Mercedes", Rachel nodded.

"So guys Rachel was our only number for today. Does anyone else have anything to show us tomorrow?", Rachel saw him eye Finn who sat in a stoney silence.

He must have felt their teachers stare because he looked up from the seat in front of him, that he was burning a hole into, and shook his head.

Mr. Schuester failed to hide the disappointment in his face.

"Ok then guys I'll have a decision for you tomorrow. And that's a wrap for today then".

Instead of the normal bustling that took place at the end of practice Rachel found herself the first one ready to leave. A few of them simply hadn't moved (Santana and Brittany were simply chatting together, in their seats, like they hadn't heard they could leave). A few of them were milling about, talking to Mr. Schue, Puck was wandering around talking about his lost guitar strap.

Rachel would have normally found this suspicious but she was already rushing out towards her dance class.

And away from the dull look on Finn Hudson's face.

**-Quinn's Friday-**

Quinn sat in the back of glee waiting for the rest of the club to arrive.

Sam had stopped showing up early, instead opting to arrive either on time or late, meaning no one had any opportunity to talk to him as Schuester would already be rambling.

He would sit in the corner and sulk. A part of her was simply overjoyed that he continued to come because she wouldn't have blamed him, or been surprised, if he'd just left glee.

And then there was Puck. Who sat on the back row with her but on the other end. He wasn't pushing it but he threw her looks, glances, text messages, voicemails.

So maybe he was pushing it a bit.

But none of it seemed too far to her. Despite his suggestive words he'd only offered her the sincere offer to talk.

And the chance to talk to someone who understood some of her harboring emotions from last year was a temptation she was finding hard to resist.

She was choosing to ignore his solo for now. Ignoring had apparently been something she'd become so adept to doing so she was putting the skill to work.

Mr. Schuester stood up from his seat once Artie rolled in with Brittany on his lap and on cue Sam walked in as the teacher began to speak.

"Ok guys so we've seen some great performances this week. Great song choices by the way. I've made a decision based on our entire setlist for regionals and..."

"Cut to the chase Mr. Schue. Who got the solo?", Mercedes interjected.

He sighed, "well I had a whole speech prepared but I'll get to it. Rachel?"

Suddenly she perked up at lot and Quinn noticed for the first time that Rachel hadn't been perky the entire time. That was unusual for her and Finn's request that they sing to her yesterday made a tiniest bit more sense.

"Yes", she replied anxiously.

Quinn could feel the tension in the room deflate almost instantly. Not that _she'd_ been worried, she hadn't auditioned for a solo, it would only lead to bitchness and she was trying to tone that down.

"Will you head our solo at sectionals?"

The question seemed redundant to Quinn. Of course she would. She'd probably do so with a lecture about him coming to his senses and how they could all rest assured that she would perform flawlessly as ever and blah, blah, blah.

"Of course, thank you", she turned in her seat and looked over the glee club, "I won't let you down".

As Rachel turned back to face forward Quinn was sure she wasn't the only one with a gaping mouth, or at the very least, some semblance of shock.

Since when was she humble? Or gracious? Yes Quinn had been able to tolerate her a little more recently but Rachel had just been given a solo and she was so un Rachel about it.

"So... I wanted to talk about our regionals set list. We've got a duet and a solo but I'm taking suggestions for our group number and that will be next weeks assignment. Once we have our complete set list we'll be working out the arrangements and choreography".

The room dissolved into discussion, small groups of people talking about the group number and the solo.

For once Quinn felt bad for Rachel when she heard Santana mumble to Brittany, "of course treasure trail got the solo again. Seems like equality in the glee club lasted all of a day. Sweater vest up there put on auditions for nothing".

She felt bad because Quinn actually thought Rachel deserved the solo, not that she'd tell Rachel this because she didn't want to inflate the girls big head more than necessary, but her song had been amazing and they would be a shoe in with it. Thankfully the lack of argument when the choice had been announced probably meant most of the club agreed.

Quinn ended up spending glee talking to Mercedes about performing a song together next week to suggest for the group number. She stole a few glances at various members of the group.

Mike, Tina, Artie and Brittany were in a four talking loudly about a number they would perform and Mike would choreograph.

Rachel was sitting alone writing speedily into her notebook and occasionally texting.

Sam, Finn and Puck were sitting together and Finn sat between the two boys, looking like a human shield. Sam sat with his arms over his chest growing steadily more frustrated while Puck seemed, or was at least acting, oblivious to the tension. He was surprisingly strumming away on his guitar as he offered suggestions.

The second she actually looked at him though he snapped his head up to meet her gaze.

Quinn smiled at him automatically and Puck winked.

"I fucking knew it!", Sam yelled as he jumped up and stood over Puck who swung his guitar back ready to use it like a bat.

She gasped at the sudden reaction of Sam but watched in horror as people leapt to keep them apart. Finn jumped up and stood with his hands on Pucks shoulders. Mr. Schue and Mike jumped up to pull back against Sam's arms holding him in place.

"My fist is going to enjoy meeting your face Puckerman!", Sam snarled.

"I'd like to see you make it past my guns Bieber", Puck shot back having now dropped his guitar across the back of the choir room as he tried to get past Finn.

"GUYS! THI IS NOT HOW WE SOLVE PROBLEMS", Mr. Schue shouted at them both.

"I got twenty bucks on Puckerman", Santanna called out.

"STOP", Quinn finally screamed.

Both boys turned to look at her and visibly calmed down at the sight of her.

"Puck. Go wait outside for me, you're taking me home. Sam come with me", she continued pulling Sam by his arm to the office off the side of the choir room.

No one seemed to be in any mood to argue with the girl who'd stopped the madness and for a split second she enjoyed the feeling of power. She was still queen bee.

As she closed the door to the choir room she saw the rest of glee club in the positions they'd been in when she shouted.

"Sam", she said as she turned around to see him close to tears. There was something about a guy crying that made her uneasy.

"You said there was no one else. Puckerman seriously? I know he was your baby daddy but he's a loser. He was in juvie!"

"Sam I smiled at him. I smile at Artie and Mike and Finn. Are you going to pound their asses as well?"

He wrung his hands as he spoke, "no but he winked at you and I assumed..."

"I hate to be the one to tell you but when you assume you make an ASS out of U and ME", he forced a laugh as she continued, "besides a wink from Puck is like 'hello' from anyone else. When I said I wanted to figure myself out? Well that's still true. I've got a lot of stuff going on in my head and I need a friend. If anyone understands what I went through last year it's him. You tried Sam, you really did but you'll never get it like he does".

"I guess".

Quinn reached into her pocket and drew out the ring box placing it on the desk between them. Neither of them said anything even though she could sense he wanted to argue.

She put a hand on the door handle and looked him in the eyes one last time knowing that she couldn't leave this room without crushing his hopes. He had to move on. "And besides I told you it would never be you Sam. I'm sorry but if I decide to date Puckerman or some jerk from the hockey team or anyone it's none of your business".

She made a swift exit and closed the door behind her. She didn't look back because she was sure if she had of she'd of seen at least a few tears roll down his cheeks.

Quinn came face to face with the glee club who were now stacking the chairs.

"Considering everything, and it being Friday I just thought we should leave it for today", Schuester said looking up from his bag.

She nodded and jerked her head towards the door slightly, "give him a minute or two and I guess I'll see everyone next week".

Without waiting for endless questions from anyone else she speed from the room only to find Puck waiting against some lockers with a grin.

"This doesn't mean anything except I need a ride home and you need to stay away from Sam", she blurted out at the sight of him.

"Of course it doesn't".

He tried to sling his arm around her as they left the school but she shook it of with a raised eyebrow, "I'm not looking for a repeat of last year Puck".

"Neither am I... exactly", she could swear there was sincerity in eyes before he smirked and said 'exactly'.


	4. Chapter 4

_-Authors Notes-_

_So can we totally save the witch hunt for another time? I'm so very sorry for my slow update. I feel really bad but in all honestly I had a major case of writers block on this chapter. And the Fuinn-ness stuff in glee didn't help. Gah! But I promise not to be terrible again. I already have plans for my next chapter. Huzzah. _

_Anyway I've missed you guys. Oh my thank you everyone for the reviews. And the alerts and favourites. I was still getting the odd alert/favourite this week and I was all like "how are you people still finding this? I haven't updated in forever". _

_And then I got all guilty because I haven't updated in forever. _

_Argh! It's been eating me up. That's why I'm updating. In all honesty I'm not 100% happy with this chapter but I honestly can't wait any longer to get back into the swing of this story. Oh yeah and let me just say now, I really hope Puck doesn't read OOC. I felt like he would be a smooth operator once that dude fell in love. I mean look at Silly Little Love Songs. Puck is a badass in touch with his emotions. _

_Oh yeah and there will be more for Sam in the next chapter. And I might find a way to explain what was going on with Sam in this chapter. Either way I'm not just making him go AWOL and leaving it at that. Sam will be explained/fixed._

_I'm so sleepy. And I'm never going to stop talking about how nervous I am about this chapter/sorry for taking so long so I'm going to give in and go to sleep in my new superman PJ's (I love being a adult with comic book stuff - such a geek) and be done with it. I hope that my dearest readers (all of you) enjoy this. Or at least some of it. _

_Much love as always. Thank you for reading my writing. Live long and Finchel forever. _

_-X-_

**-One Week Later-**

**-Pucks Saturday-**

He held Quinn's hand for what was, like, their fourth talk since the glee room show down.

Puck couldn't remember when he'd officially had _the_ operation, completed his estrogen tablets and become a woman, but somehow it had happened.

It sucked but was also pretty awesome.

Because it wasn't anyone's hand he was holding but it was his baby mamas.

Quinn's hand.

Maybe he had become her bitch, whatever. Puck was a man in love.

He kinda knew he hadn't stopped loving her but he knew after Beth they needed time. So he let her have time. He let her dump him, she needed it or some shit.

Back then they couldn't look at each other without reliving it. Without seeing Beth.

But now he looked at her and he saw all the things he loved again.

God, he really had become a woman. A flowery dress wearing woman.

Times like this he'd normally go out and sink a few drinks before fucking up some young hot piece of ass just to prove he was still a dude.

Instead he'll probably go home and sink a few drinks and then play Mario.

Super Mario Brothers 3 of course, obviously the best one.

And it has nothing to do with Peach being a blonde.

Even though Quinn would look super fine in a Princess Peach costume.

"Puck, I'm really glad we can talk about this", the sound of her saying his name woke him up and he filed away the Peach idea for halloween costume suggestions.

"You know I'm here for you babe. We don't go through something that huge together and then never talk about it"

She smiled at him and he realized it was their first talk that hadn't ended in her crying.

Thank fuck for that.

Puck may have been able to accept that he loved this chick but it doesn't mean he's cool with crying.

For the record, he's never cool with crying.

"I can't tell you what it means that you've forgiven me", she talked down to their intertwined fingers.

He used his free hand to nudge her chin gently and raise her eyes to him, "there was never any doubt babe".

And there really wasn't. He kinda gets it. She wasn't ready to be a mom.

She's admitted to him that she knew he'd take care of her, of them, if she'd have let him. And that made him feel a million freakin times better because he would have. He wasn't a deadbeat like his dad. But she'd also told him she was selfish and knew _she_ was the one who wasn't ready to be a parent.

And that makes him sad and relieved all at once.

But never angry. He can't blame her. He never would.

He knows his hand is lingering on her face too long to be friendly but he doesn't care. He wants her to know how he feels.

Becuase it took him long enough to figure out that he still loved her, and he wasn't gonna be a lame ass about it. He was gonna romance Quinn Fabray like the princess she was.

And no way Bowser was getting anywhere near his woman.

When it dawns on her that they are still staring at each other she shy's her face away from his grasp, "Puck don't".

"Don't what?", he smirked inside his own head so he didn't ruin the moment.

"I can't do this", she said looking back at him but taking her hand from his.

He sighed, time to pull out the big guns, his feelings, "babe we obviously have something going on, just feel it".

"But I..."

"I love you".

He'd said it once before to her and now he'd said it again. How many times did she need to hear it? It wasn't every day the Puckerone said he was in love.

"I need to be on my own for a little while. I need to figure myself out, before I'm in a relationship".

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to call bullshit there. Total and utter. Don't judge this on your blow out with Goldilocks, he was never going to get you like I do. I know you feel this Quinn but you're freaking out because I'm such a badass. That's cool but I'm fucking serious when I say I love you".

He made sure he looked her in the eyes. He could see she was fighting it for whatever fucked up reason she'd thought of.

"I can't. Not now", she hung her head.

He shrugged, "that's cool babe but I won't stop. I won't stop till you are with me. I don't give up sex sharking for just anyone Q. Just you. So I hope you're ready for the hurricane because I'm going to rock you like one. You will give in", he said with confidence because hell, she _was_ totally going to give in.

He saw something flicker in her eyes and he knew exactly what he'd done, "bring it on Puck. Let's see your best moves".

On second thoughts maybe bringing out the her competitive side wasn't in his best interests.

Shit.

Plan B. Let his actions do the talking.

He swooped in and his lips were on hers before anything else could be said. It was totally worth the wait.

Puck had been thinking about kissing those lips again for too damn long. And that right there? That was how he could tell it was love. Because he could tell you that it was 6 months and 21 days since their last kiss. Not that he counted but his brain just fucking knew shit like that. And he could also tell you that no other kiss ever compared because if making out with every new chick was a religious experience, kissing Quinn was like reaching nirvana. And that noise she made in the back of her throat that was the tinniest little moan ever? Hot as hell.

And that's when he pulled away.

He grinned at the sight of her. Her eyes were closed, her lips puckered and her hair was all over the place where he'd had a hand tangled in it.

She looked like she wanted more.

And that's when he stepped up off the bed, "last chance babe. You can make it real simple and admit that we're going to happen and I'll give you some more of my sweet, sweet macking or I'll just keep proving you wrong..."

He leaned in to her ear, "...again and again and again, until you give in later on. Either way we're going to happen".

She recovered and scoffed at him, "I told you Puck I need time to myself. This is not happening".

"Keep telling yourself that. You know you can't help yourself with these guns", he flexed one for effect before grabbing his jacket and winking at her before he left.

She just watched him go with a raised eyebrow but Puck left with a smirk on his face.

She would be his.

She could try to say no but let's face it, he is a stud. This time he wouldn't need booze and she wouldn't be cheating. No, this time he would do it right. This time she was for keeps. Puck just had to show her that a) he was serious and b) she loved him back.

She did, she just didn't know it yet.

**-Rachel's Sunday-**

Rachel finished her exercise regime with vigor. She had been less than enthusiastic last Sunday and barely felt the rush of endorphins after her sleep schedule was interrupted.

She'd spent the previous Saturday at dinner with her fathers to celebrate her solo and then Kurt had surprised her with a spa evening. He had claimed they needed to celebrate by 'fixing' her skin.

After feigning offense at the comment they had stayed up watching moves and having complete facials and manicures. Rachel was only glad that this Sunday she wasn't tired and trying to entertain a still half asleep Kurt while she exercised.

She checked her phone before heading towards her bathroom for a shower and saw 4 messages. She figured they would all be from Kurt and that he could stand to wait half an hour for a reply since she couldn't stand to stay sweaty for too long.

The hot shower soothed her muscles and cleansed her skin. She couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of having everything washed away and she often found that after after a hot shower she truly felt _everything_ was washed away. For those minutes she had no drama in her life and no feelings towards anything, she just allowed the water to work it's magic.

She only left the bathroom when she heard a knocking on her bedroom door. Rachel wrapped her cotton robe around her and wrung her hair out quickly before running to the door, noticing that her phone was ringing as well.

"Honey as much as I love hearing you sing as your ringtone your phone has been ringing, loudly I might add, for the last 15 minutes", her daddy said.

She smiled at him in the way that she knew melted any mood he was in, "sorry daddy I was in the shower. I'll just answer it now".

She reached up to kiss his cheek before closing the door and running to grab her phone from the desk.

"Good morning Kurt", she asked not bother to look at the caller ID.

"Don't even pretend you didn't hear me calling".

"Of course I didn't I was in the shower"

"And my texts?"

She sighed, "I was planning on reading them after I got out of the shower".

"Divas gone wild! You ignored my texts? Oh this is it, the end, if I can't rely on Rachel Berry to read my texts I may as well end it all now. Goodbye cruel, cruel world", he cried and she could only imagine the theatrics he was putting on as he gave his impromptu monologue.

"Amateur dramatics aside why exactly have you been desperately seeking me?".

She heard his bed squeak as he obviously launched himself on to it, "I'll ignore the amateur comment but I was calling to talk to you obviously. We haven't spoken in days".

"And...?"

"Are you implying that I have a ulterior motive whenever we speak?"

She laughed, "of course not. I'm telling you outright that you normally do", he gasped and she took the chance to continue, "of course not really Kurt. It's just not everyday you require my attention so urgently".

"Well I have news".

She didn't say 'I told you so' or 'I knew it' like she so desperately wanted to but instead held her tongue and waited for whatever news he was about to share.

"You're obviously aware of the valentines day debacle?"

"It's hardly fair to call it that Kurt, the situation was remedied by valentines day and you both seemed very happy with the taking it slow option that you'd..."

The phone line went dead. Her phone then immediately rung again and she had time to see his name on the caller ID this time.

"That it may way of telling you to be quiet while I'm telling you _my_ news. A simple 'yes I remember' would have sufficed".

He continued before she had a chance to argue.

"Anyway as I was saying, you're obviously aware that Blaine and I had agreed to take it slow. Well here is the news. Last night he threw caution to the wind and asked me officially to be his beau. Taking it slow be damned!"

Rachel let out a high pitched squeal. She felt it was her obligation as that would be his reaction to any good news she gave him.

Kurt began rambling, "he's the DiCario to my Winslet, the Grant to my Roberts, the Bogart to my Bergman".

"Of course he is. I'm so happy for you Kurt. And I'm also happy I won't have to hear about you pining after him anymore", she added with a giggle.

"Don't even get me started on who has had who's ear chewed off with relationship woes".

"Drat. You've got me there. Although the majority of the time you insist I tell you even when I don't want to. So when if your first boyfriend/boyfriend outing?".

She heard him sigh, "it's a school night and he takes his studies very seriously so we're going for coffee later rather than the romantic dinner I wanted to go to with the candles and the violinists..."

He trailed off with another sigh and she could only smile to herself at her lovesick friend.

"I am truly very happy for you, you deserve some happiness and Blaine, for all of the 3 times I've met him, seems like a perfect gentleman".

"Yes he is. Now you only need to find some happiness and we can double date. Of course that's not going to happen if you don't TALK TO MY BROTHER!"

Rachel rolled her eyes, "there it is. I knew you wouldn't call without mentioning something about Finn. It's fine. He wants to be friends, I agreed. Then he went off the idea when I told him about New York".

"He hasn't gone off of the idea you pixie, he's sad that you're leaving. The dolt doesn't know what he wants, he's a teenage boy. They're all idiots. Well the straight ones are anyway".

She sat up and realized she'd left a large damp patch on her comforter where her wet hair had been. "Kurt I don't have time to wait around for him to figure it out. I still love him so it absolutely pains me to say this but I agreed to be friends. If he cannot even make that work then I doubt he'll ever forgive me enough to be in a relationship. I am doomed to wander this earth broken hearted and as much as I enjoy discussing and thinking about _that _I need to go and dry my hair".

"No, No, NO! Missy you are not getting out of this. You've found a way to get out of this conversation for over a week now. No more".

"What do you want me to say Kurt? That I can't see myself with anyone else ever? That it was bad enough agreeing to be just friends but now he's taken his friendship away from me as quickly as he promised it and that it hurt?", she was panting as she felt herself once again get worked up over the subject of Finn Hudson.

"No, I want you to say that you will tell him all of that".

"Then I guess neither of us are getting what we want then Kurt because I'm not making a bigger fool out of myself than I already have for that boy. Now I really have to go because you've seen what happens when I don't blow dry my hair and it is not a pretty sight. Goodbye Kurt".

"Rachel, wait...", she ended the call before he could finish because she wouldn't have been able to disguise the tears as she spoke anymore. She turned her phone off, she'd deal with Kurt's voicemails later.

She got up and wiped her tears away from her eyes, she'd become quite adept at bottling up her emotions recently rather than letting them run free as they should. She still had a sad look on her face though as she sat at her vanity and began carefully drying her hair.

Rachel was not looking forward to Monday.

**-Finn's Monday-**

Finn had been psyched all day.

He'd answered a bunch of questions right in biology that morning. The cafeteria had pizza for lunch which actually tasted like real pizza and finally the glee club would be performing for Rachel today.

That was going to be his highlight.

He'd been working on it for over a week now, he'd arranged for glee practice to be in the auditorium. He'd somehow (and he really didn't know how) convinced the glee club to perform the song and he'd totally arranged the performance and everything.

Although Mike did choreograph and thankfully kept it simple.

The biggest thing was that she seemed to have no idea. When he'd seen her in the hallway after first period she had the same show smile on her face that she'd had for weeks.

It made him hope time would go faster. Because he wasn't lying when he said he wanted to be friends with her.

Hell, if he was really honest he wanted more but he wanted to be her friend again first, he thought it would help him, like, forgive everything.

But Finn had never been good with words, the bowling alley thing had proved that. So he'd searched and searched for a song because Finn knew he could get everything out in a song a lot easier than talking. He'd thought of a awesome Beatles track but Puck had gone on about influence from her performance a few weeks ago and doing Queen. They'd actually ended up voting.

Finn had been out voted. Nuts.

He wouldn't mind so much but Rachel was stellar at getting the meanings out of songs and stuff.

And he really didn't want her listening to the second verse.

Finn walked into the auditorium and saw them milling about on stage. He took a minute to appreciate how cool they'd all been with this. Thankfully Mr. Schue had said a few words when Finn suggested it to the club and that seemed to make a few of them realize at least why they should do it. Even Santana agreed to do it although he suspected that was just because everyone else had agreed.

"Hey guys I'm just gonna go get Rachel ok?"

"Hurry up Frankenteen and don't get lost", Artie shouted back and got a few laughs from the girls.

Finn just smiled at the joke as he wandered to the choir room, no one was there except Rachel because Mr. Schue was sitting at his podium in the auditorium already and they had 'forgotten' to leave her a note.

"Finn? What are you doing here? Where is everybody?", she asked frantically as she leapt up.

She'd been sitting in her seat at the front of the choir room despite the fact that everyone should have been there twenty minutes ago. Which meant because she was always early to glee she'd probably been there about forty minutes.

He put a worried look on his face for effect, "Rachel! There you are. I've been looking all over for you, didn't you get the message about glee?"

She frowned, "has it been cancelled again? Oh I'll be having words with Mr. Schuester about this. Three practices cancelled last week and another one today? We didn't even pick out a group number last week as planned and we haven't even begun choreographing the duet..."

"Slow down. It hasn't been cancelled, we're just in the auditorium today".

"Oh", she said as her mouth formed a perfect 'o'. Finn noticed the sudden look in her eye and wondered if she realized that her rant had been the most she'd said to him in a week.

"Shall we?", he asked as he held the choir door open for her.

Rachel ran back to her seat to grab her bag and Finn noticed her lack of knee socks and how long her legs looked in her skirt because of it. It was the first time he'd noticed anything like that it weeks.

Concentrate Hudson, he told himself as she turned around.

They walked back to the auditorium through the side door taking them straight into the front row of the seats.

Her face was a picture of confusion as he told her to sit down and pointed to a seat.

She looked up at the people on stage and then her head whipped around to look at Mr. Schue at his desk but he just smiled down at her. She turned back to Finn and he couldn't help but think the worried crease above her eyes was adorable.

"Rachel. The glee club has something we want to tell you", he was so impressed that he managed to walk backwards up the stage stairs as he spoke.

He wasn't sure if he'd ever top that stunt.

Finn couldn't read her face, there was still confusion painted across it but there was something else as the music began.

_Another red letter day,  
__So the pound has dropped and the children are creating,  
__The other half ran away,  
__Taking all the cash and leaving you with the lumber,  
__Got a pain in the chest,  
__Doctors on strike what you need is a rest  
__It's not easy love, but you've got friends you can trust,_

_Friends will be friends,  
__When you're in need of love they give you care and attention,  
__Friends will be friends,  
__When you're through with life and all hope is lost,  
__Hold out your hand cos friends will be friends, right till the end_

_Now it's a beautiful day,  
__The postman delivered a letter from your lover,  
__Only a phone call away,  
__You tried to track him down but somebody stole his number,  
__As a matter of fact,  
__You're getting used to life without him in your way_

His eyes dart to hers at the last line. Finn wishes, for a second, that she wasn't such a good actress. Her face is still and thoughtful, it hasn't changed since the song began.

_It's so easy now, cos you got friends you can trust,_

_Friends will be friends,  
__When you're in need of love they give you care and attention,  
__Friends will be friends,  
__When you're through with life and all hope is lost,  
__Hold out your hand cos friends will be friends (right till the end)_

_It's so easy now, cos you got friends you can trust,  
__Friends will be friends,  
__When you're in need of love they give you care and attention,  
__Friends will be friends,  
__When you're through with life and all hope is lost,  
__Hold out your hand cos friends will be friends (right till the end)_

They finish the song in perfect harmony and they all look out to her expectantly. Finn can tell that everyone is waiting for her to say something but he figures no one more than himself. It's actually killing him that she hasn't spoke yet.

But he does see the few tears that leak from her eyes and he figures she's just happy.

Then she opens her mouth.

"Why did you do this?", she asks. Her voice is blunt and demanding. Finn can only think that she is imaging that fateful green room where the opposite of this happened.

"Erm... because you're our friend Rachel", Tina speaks up from his left. He knows they're unsure about why they are singing to her and he couldn't be more thankful that she spoke.

She chokes a sob at that, loudly, before snapping out of it. She shakes her head and takes a deep breath, ignoring her damp cheeks.

"Thank you. I don't know what to say so if you'll allow me to I'd like to sing something tomorrow?"

"Of course Rachel", Mr Schue replied who had come to join them.

"Finn, can I talk to you for a moment?", she asked making eye contact with him.

He nodded dumbly and followed her into the corridor.

"I'll ask again, why did you do this?", she demanded again the second the door closed behind them, her hand was on her hip now. In his experience that was never good.

She preys on his silence, "what do you want Finn? You want friendship so I give you that, I tell you my news because you asked for no more secrets, ever. Then you leave me. Then you ignore me. What exactly is it you want? Other than torturing me".

"I do want to be your friend Rach, I do. I panicked, I mean you drop this bomb that you might be leaving in the fall after I've only just got myself in a place where we can be friends and..."

"I am leaving. There's no might, I am".

"... I know. I'm sorry. You are leaving. This is hard though Rach, you and me. We're..."

"..broken up. _You_ decided that", she finishes, stressing the 'you' harshly.

He feels like he's just had a medicine ball dropped on his head or something. They haven't talked about that, not since before Christmas. And she's never said the words, and never with this look on her face.

"I know. I just, I do want to be friends. I'm sorry about when you told me, I panicked and stuff. It's a big thing Rach. But I wanted to make you see that we are your friends and that I want to be your friend again. I mean it this time. No take backs".

She crossed her arms across her chest but he could see whatever she was rilled up about was melting away.

"I take it you want me to tell them?" and her voice is still angry but also sounds to him like she knew he's right.

He shrugged, "only if you want to. I know they suck sometimes but they did this without knowing so that's gotta count for something right?"

She bit her lip, he knew he had her.

**-Rachel's Tuesday-**

Rachel didn't understand why they had sung to her. She didn't know how they had been convinced to sing to her. She especially didn't know why she let it get to her.

She knew that nothing would change, they weren't automatically friends. Santana would still surely comment about her today, she'd still sit alone at the front of the room, they'd all still roll their eyes whenever she talked.

But for a few minutes she had felt accepted by the glee club and despite Rachel convincing herself that it was approval she didn't need, the gesture had still moved her.

She couldn't be blamed for wanting approval in all aspects of her life. Even if social acceptance was something she had resigned herself to live without.

Instead she decided to tell them and to hell with the consequences. If they hated her more than they did at the best of times then what's the worst that could happen? She's leaving. They can't force her out early because they need members for regionals.

This is what she told herself while she scanned the music in front of her, running it over one last time. Slowly the club filtered in chatting in their groups.

She didn't notice Finn had arrived until he sat down next to her.

"So what are you singing?", he asked sheepishly.

She turned to him like it was the first time she was seeing him. She figured sitting with her and talking to her, at the same time, was as big a declaration of renewed friendship as she could hope for.

Automatically she pulled the music away from his prying eyes, "and spoil the surprise?"

She ignored how easy it was to be friends with him again, because it was easy. Far too easy.

Without waiting for an answer she stood up as Mr. Schue walked in, "I'd like to get straight to it if that's ok with you?"

He raised an eyebrow at her and she could only assume it was at the question she posed rather than her normal steamrolling in and not caring about disturbing his lesson plan. He nodded with a smile after a minute.

Rachel handed Brad and the band her music before turning to the club as Sam slipped into the room.

"Firstly I'd like to thank you all for the gesture yesterday. I do have an announcement to make but first I'd like to sing something".

She nodded at Brad and the notes spilled from the piano powerfully.

_Hey, hey, hey ,hey  
__Ohhh._

_Won't you come see about me?  
__I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby  
__Tell me your troubles and doubts  
__Giving me everything inside and out and  
__Love's strange so real in the dark  
__Think of the tender things that we were working on  
__Slow change may pull us apart  
__When the light gets into your heart, baby_

_Don't You, Forget About Me  
__Don't, Don't, Don't, Don't  
__Don't You, Forget About Me_

_Will you stand above me?  
__Look my way, never love me  
__Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling  
__Down, down, down_

_Will you recognise me?  
__Call my name or walk on by  
__Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling  
__Down, down, down, down_

_Hey, hey, hey, hey  
__Ohhhh..._

_Don't you try to pretend  
__It's my feeling we'll win in the end  
__I won't harm you or touch your defences  
__Vanity and security_

She tried not to glance at Santana on that line but the urge was too strong. The stare only lasted a second.

_Don't you forget about me  
__I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby  
__Going to take you apart  
__I'll put us back together at heart, baby_

She resisted her urges this time and didn't stare at the Quarterback in the front row.

_Don't You Forget About Me  
__Don't Don't Don't Don't  
__Don't You Forget About Me_

_As you walk on by  
__Will you call my name?  
__As you walk on by  
__Will you call my name?_

_When you walk away  
__Or will you walk away?  
__Will you walk on by?  
__Come on - call my name_

_Will you call my name?_

She finished to applause and Mr. Schue's voice was surprisingly chipper, "a absolute classic", he said mainly to himself. She smiled knowing the only way he'd have enjoyed her performance more was if she'd sung 'Send Her My Love' by Journey (which she had considered singing purely because their sometimes clueless teacher considered Journey _their_ band).

"Thank you. My announcement might make a little more sense of the song choice. As you are all aware of my Broadway aspirations I won't delve into the details too much", she heard someone scoff but didn't catch who, "but a part of those aspirations involves attending Juilliard in New York. I applied early and was accepted as a accelerated applicant. I will be leaving for New York this fall, this will be my final year at McKinley".

It all happened at once.

Silence was broken by a flurry of noise.

No one spoke directly to her but instead around her. The loudest was Mercedes, "NO FREAKING WAY!". But the rest were not far off.

People were shouting in either is surprise, anger or a mixture of the two.

"How the hell!"

"There's no way!"

"How in god's name is she getting out a year early?"

"She can't leave, it's Rachel!"

"Totally and utterly unfair"

"I'm so taking over as lead once she's gone"

"We need to throw a not sorry you're leaving party and not invite her"

"Is Rachel dying?"

Finally someone spoke to her directly, "what the hell Berry?", Puck asked with a smirk that told her he wasn't angry just surprised.

Mr. Schue finally stepped in, "guys, guys! Rachel has had some excellent news and we should be supporting her".

"Why? Because she's going to be more obnoxious now that she know's she's getting out of this one horse town?", Santana bit back as she filed her nails.

"Hey! She's already known for weeks now and so stop bringing her down", Finn blurted out. Rachel's eyes flew to him and she imagined her eyes were as wide as his were as they shared a look that screamed, _what possessed you to say that?_

Rachel felt her face redden as Tina stood up and spoke for the first time, "why didn't you tell us?"

"Wait a hot minute. Is that what you told Mr. Schue about in his office that time? That was like 5 weeks ago!", Mercedes questioned.

Both of them, as well as a few others, actually had the audacity to look hurt.

"Yes that is what I was discussing with Mr. Schue. I only felt that I wanted to share the news with friends", Rachel responded simply.

"So that's why white boy number one wanted us to sing to you and make you feel like one of the gang?", Mercedes continued.

"Guys I think we're loosing sight of what's important here. Rachel is going to be leaving and none of you have even said good luck", Mr Schue added to the conversation, desperately trying to salvage it.

A mumbled round of good lucks swept the room and Rachel walked back over to her seat unable to have this discussion anymore. Everyone was decidedly not making eye contact with her as she scanned the club, some of them looked upset, some angry, some just bitter.

Rachel felt uneasy with the tension and wondered how she would last the year in this room. The tension rolled off of her fellow glee clubbers in waves.

She shook her head and looked at Finn, who was the only member giving her eye contact, and despite the newness of their renewed friendship she leaned over naturally, muttering, "I knew I shouldn't have told them".

He turned to her as Mr. Schue began writing 'rebirth' on the white board, "they'll get over it, besides nobody walked out right?"

Rachel smiled, neglecting to mention that the collective hatred of ten people was a lot easier to deal with than any sort of hatred or abandonment from Finn.

**-Quinn's Wednesday-**

Quinn was not having a good week.

She'd been making such good progress with Puck. They'd aired so many suppressed and ignored issues from the babygate drama that she was actually beginning to believe it was safe inside her own head again.

And then he had to go all Puck on her.

She would be lying if she said she wasn't attracted to him. He was, in his own words, a stud. There was really no better description. He charmed every female he laid eyes on and took no prisoners.

Which made her all the more worried for her own resistance.

When Quinn was deciding whether or not to break up with Sam she realized that she hadn't been single longer than 3 weeks since the beginning of middle school. Quinn had always defined herself by her man.

First she was the pretty girl dating Brent Matthews, the only boy to throw parties in middle school.

Then she was the popular girl who was dating Charlie Stock, the undisputed skateboard champion of Lima, Ohio.

Then she was the head cheerleader who was dating Finn Hudson, the star Quarterback.

During baby gate she was the pregnant Christian girl kind of dating Noah Puckerman, the school man whore.

And then she lived her life on repeat once again returning to her favorite role, head cheerleader with heartthrob jock of a boyfriend, Sam Evans.

The endless cycle actually helped her in her decision. She'd decided at the beginning of the year she would be miss independent this year, before she was distracted by Sam.

And she still planned on going through with it. If not a few months later.

Quinn had dealt with a lot of Beth related issues recently but the final issue to be dealt with was Quinn herself. She had to find her own way for a little while.

Which was incredibly difficult with Puck playing his best moves after admitting that he loved her.

Why couldn't the universe just let her go through with her plans for once?

She wanted to live as a single girl, discover herself and all the other emotional rubbish she'd convinced herself she needed.

The only issue was what if this was her last chance with Puck?

She couldn't pretend she hadn't noticed his lack of sex sharking, he'd obviously been trying. But how long could Puck really last with monogamy?

Not long, the last time he tried.

And then there was Sam. Quinn wanted him to move on but she never wanted him to hate her, however she doubted he'd see past her dating Puck a week after they broke up.

She'd rid herself of some of her biggest emotional burdens from last year only to replace them with a new load this year.

None of it was helped by the fact that she was, at the end of the day, a teenager.

A teenager with hormones.

A teenager with hormones and with a very handsome, charming, badass, studly, tempting, adorable when he wants to be, serenading guy coming after her.

No Quinn.

You're better than this. Stick to the plan.

He thinks he can just get her with the click of his fingers. He thinks he can lure her to the dark side.

He thinks she needs him.

Quinn Fabray does not need him.

Quinn Fabray would show him, and everyone else, that she didn't need anyone but herself. She'd be the independent woman she so intended on being at the start of the year.

She could rule the school and not be a Santana class bitch. She could do it all, and still retain her head cheerleader status.

All she had to do was resist Puck.

Because he was the cause of her... awkward week. Since their chat on Sunday (because she was fiercely denying anything else happened, in her mind the rest was some sort of tear induced hallucination) Puck had been putting the moves on her everyday.

On Monday he'd idly sung love songs to her while they waited for Rachel at the start of glee club. On Tuesday he'd forcibly picked her up for school, early, so that he could take her to breakfast, where he had pre ordered her a mountain of crispy bacon.

Everyday, every class together, every time he saw her, there was a pick up line that was so cheesy it made her laugh. There was the declaration, whispered into her ear, that she was fighting a losing battle, in his confident voice that made her knees weak. There were the looks, the looks that stopped her on the spot and were so intense she felt she might keel over.

"Quinn?", a voice interrupted her thoughts.

She looked around and found that she was practically hanging on to her locker, straightening up she looked over at Puck.

She didn't know where time had gone, where the day had gone, but the corridor seemed to be emptying.

Puck smirked at her and she fought the compulsion to slap him. Then he pulled flowers out from behind his back, they found their way into her hands and she stood there speechless.

He simply leaned in and kissed her on the cheek before whispering, "have a great cheerios practice babe. I'll call you later". He walked off and she couldn't help but thrust the flowers into her face inhaling the scent deeply.

Her second thought was how the hell was she meant to put the flowers in water when she had cheerios practice now.

The final thought that drifted through her mind was, 'well played Puckerman, well played'.

She carefully placed the flowers in her locker, hoping practice wouldn't go on too long. It wasn't until she pulled her duffle bag over her shoulder and started towards the gym that she remembered she's not dating Puck and that she needed to figure out a way to resist his charm offensive. Losing was not a option for Quinn Fabray.

**-Finn's Thursday-**

Finn wandered the hall with Artie discussing the pros and cons of the Bears newest linebacker when he saw Sam talking to Rachel by her locker.

Normally it wouldn't have bothered him but Rachel put her hand on his arm as she spoke.

Horrifying images flooded his mind and he almost stormed over to throw Sam across the hall before he remembered that she wasn't his girl.

Except she was. She always would be.

He may be doing this whole friends thing with her but goddamn, Rachel was his.

His knuckles were white against the handles of Artie's wheelchair but his eyes remained firmly on Sam. Finn was aware of Artie still talking about something but his ears tuned him out as they strained to pick up the conversation as they got nearer to the lockers.

"...this isn't helping anybody"

"...we're both getting over break ups"

"...we can't go on like this Sam"

"...we can help each other"

"...thank you but no thank you"

Each broken sentence that he heard only made him angrier. He didn't get a chance to break up the conversation though because Sam slouched away with his jacket over his shoulder and Rachel slumped her shoulders forward.

"You ok Rach?", Finn asked through gritted teeth as they approached.

Artie was suddenly very quiet and Rachel seemed to ignore it, but it only furthered Finns anger. He didn't like the fact that glee club had decided to ignore Rachel.

"I'm fine thank you Finn. I'm just running a little late for class. If you'll excuse me", she whipped her locker closed and took off in the same direction as Sam.

Finn tried not to think about it being ten minutes till next period.

He tried not to follow them.

He tried not to punch Artie in the arm for being a tool.

He gave up on conversation though and left Artie at his next class before taking off for his own.

Finn had finally stopped seeing red by the time he took his seat in Spanish. Puck slung himself in the seat next to him and even that didn't bother him, both of them coming to some sort of weird acceptance in the last few weeks.

It didn't even bother him when Mike threw a ball of paper at him that hit Finn expertly between the eyes.

He threw it back with a crooked half grin as Mr. Schue entered the room forcing Mike to turn to the front.

Finn's mind returned to annoying Sam situation. Why had Sam been talking to Rachel? It somehow bugged him more because he knew that Sam was breaking the glee club freeze out of Rachel meaning he was risking being shunned himself to talk to her.

And as glee stud, leader, co captain and Rachel's friend shouldn't Finn be the only one risking that? Sam barely spoken to her in glee normally. Why had he all of a sudden taken a interest?

"Finn?"

"Eh, Yes Mr. Schue?", he looked up at his Spanish teacher who looked liked he was waiting for something.

"Hiciste tu tarea?"

Finn looked around helplessly to see a few other people pulling their homework out from their bags, he pulled his out in hope, "Erm... Sí?"

Mr. Schuester smiled at Finn and that was enough for Finn to exhale slowly in relief.

Puck leaned in as he moved onto the girls sitting behind them, "dude since when you speak Spanish?"

Finn shrugged before getting a idea.

"Hey have you noticed Sam acting weird lately?"

"Since he tried to punch me for being a stud? Nah, I try not to moon over guys or anything like you do, haven't really noticed much from the dude at all", Puck replied leaning back into his seat.

No help there then.

Finn spent the rest of Spanish trying to figure it out. Which wasn't his strong suit so it wasn't exactly going well.

He continued to try and figure it out in English while he watched the back of Rachel's head.

It's wasn't until the he was walking to his truck at the end of the day that he forgot about the issue completely.

Because Santana had Sam pushed up against his car while they had their tongues down each others throats.

Something about the sight of them both made him want to hurl as well as gave him a sense of relief that Sam wasn't going after Rachel.

Or at least if he was, he wasn't now.

**-Puck's Friday-**

Puck was never patient.

Why would he be? Puck got what he wanted. It kinda came with the territory of being the resident Hefner of Lima.

Have you seen him?

So after a week of chasing Quinn he was getting a little restless.

He'd finished off yesterday by serenading her, again, in glee. He'd been on his game all week. This was after he'd spent the week before talking shit out with her. Like seriously just talking.

Talking and romance.

And she still hadn't snapped.

But he was nothing if not persistent.

Especially since he'd announced that he loved her. Admittedly he had kinda hoped that would swing her in his direction.

But that's not why he told her so he could deal with a little more romancing shit.

The only problem was there seemed to be no end in sight.

Every time Puck got close to breaking Quinn, she'd come back stronger. Her protective barriers cracked for like a second, she'd melt over whatever he'd done and blush and stuff and then she'd remember something before looking at him like he was the devil.

And Puck wasn't the devil. He was just a regular romeo.

He brought freaking flowers to school for her. FLOWERS. Him of all people.

He was going soft. He couldn't help it. He'd look into those big hazel eyes or watch her skirt bounce up and down as she walked the halls and damn.

Puck had trouble enough concentrating in school, well he rarely tried, but the point was with Quinn walking around being all hot and resistant? It became a whole lot harder.

Pun totally intended.

But Quinn had somehow convinced herself that she didn't love him.

She'd also managed to resist him.

If he hadn't sworn off other women he'd be begging Quinn not to tell any other chicks how to do it.

But Puck was man enough to admit when he needed help.

He'd already been to Santana who had busted his balls at the mere mention of Quinn. He wasn't stupid enough to tell her the full story. She'd been pissy anyway since he retracted her Puckster privileges.

He'd considered going to Finn but instantly remembered that, well, it was Finn. Dude couldn't woo his way out of a paper bag. He was still dancing around Rachel like he didn't love her anymore. Which it was totally obvious he did. Just sayin'

Puck exhausted every other option he could till he finally gave up and cornered his only choice.

"Berry, wait up!", he shouted as he ran after her.

She turned around just before unlocking her car door. The look on her face was utter surprise. He kinda felt bad about that. She'd been shunned by the glee club following her announcement about New York and Puck felt a pang of Jewish guilt.

"Noah? Are you sure you can afford to be seen speaking to me?", she asked, her voice laced with bitterness, as he eventually caught up to her.

"Yeah whatever, I'm a badass, you know I don't take orders from anyone. Let them try and touch the Puckster".

She rolled her eyes and he felt that enough had been said about that. They were obviously cool judging by the fact that she was still standing here.

"What can I do for you Noah?"

"Well Berry it's real simple. I'm trying to get with someone..."

"Quinn", she said as a fact rather than a question.

"Yeah, well anyway she's..."

"Hesitating after her break up with Sam", Rachel finished again.

"Fuck Berry. I bet you know what I've been up to all week as well then?", he asked despite the fact that he was relieved he hadn't needed to explain it.

She smiled knowingly and it annoyed him as hell, "Yes I do actually. The flowers, the songs, it hard to miss you staring at her all day. What exactly does this have to do with me Noah? Quinn would hardly speak to me about this, even if the glee club was speaking to me, Quinn and I are hardly friends".

Damn that Jewish guilt. How were all Jewish women so damn hot at guilt trips. Although Rachel had nothing on his mother.

"Well Berry I actually just wanted some advice. When you're not acting crazy you normally know what you're doing and I'm getting no where with Quinn. She's totally resisting the Puckerone charm".

"Have you considered the fact that maybe you're coming on a bit strong?"

Puck looked at her like she'd just grown an extra head or some shit. The Puckster, too strong? Was there such a thing as too strong?

In true Rachel fashion she jumped on the fact that he didn't say anything and just continued to speak herself. "She just broke up with her boyfriend Noah! She's fragile. Yet somehow you've been getting through to her all week. I saw her leave school with the flowers you gave her with a big smile on her face, sniffing them as she went to her car. However if you keep this up she'll likely get used to the attention. Perhaps if you reigned in your affections for a while, giving her a chance to appreciate what she is missing, before you launch another attack of the 'Puckerone' on her, then she may see all the wonderful things about you in a new light", Rachel finished her lecture complete with air quotes around his nickname.

He raised one eyebrow as she spoke because, seriously, she needed to take a chill pill.

This was why he'd always said she'd be a great drunk. It would chill her the fuck out.

"So what you're saying in Berry language is play hard to get?"

"Exactly", she smiled at him and he felt like asking why she didn't say that in the first place.

"Right. Cool. Thanks Berry", he answered awkwardly.

"Don't worry Noah. I won't tell anyone that you spoke to me", she finished sadly as she turned her key in the lock on the car door.

Puck didn't know what to say, not that he wanted to say more. She already seemed to know more than she should.

You had to watch out for smart chicks. He learnt that the hard way when he'd crossed some babe from the yearbook committee who nearly made a full page spread about the Puckzilla and ALL his conquests.

It was nothing a quick make out session in the computer lab didn't fix but not the point.

Berry was smart. Smart chicks were dangerous.

Wait where was he going with this?

Oh yeah, right. Berry and her Jewish guilt trips.

"Don't worry about it Berry. They'll come around eventually, they're just scared is all. They're actually going to have to work at it once you've gone. Give 'em some time. Thanks for the advice on Quinn".

He didn't wait for a response as he walked away. She'd helped him and he'd reassured her. They'd always had a weird Jewish alliance. Even if sometimes they screwed shit up together.

At least he always could ask her stuff like this, when he couldn't ask anyone else. At least he had a new game plan for operation Fabray.

At least he hadn't broken into Quinn's locker to leave those chocolates he was planning on giving her.


	5. Chapter 5

_-Authors Notes-_

_Hello my lovelies. Seriously guys? You are too good to me. I totally wasn't expecting the much love for the last chapter *sigh* I thought you'd all of forgotten me. Thank you guys so much. All the new readers who were crazy with the alerts and stuff and everyone who reviewed. You guys are the reason this is up so quick. I read a bunch of the review and was like, 'they need a reward and I need to write'. I did over half this chapter in one sitting because I was just in the zone. _

_I won't lie there is a lot of Quick in this chapter. There's Finchel of course. I'm not insane but the Quick thing is probably (it is) happening first so it leans onto the Quick side in this chapter._

_But in other news Rachel kicks butt in this chapter. I realized that a lot of the songs used in this are Rachel singing them and I'm not going to pretend that only she sings but for the purposes of this story normally hers are the most relevant. _

_What else? Ah yes. Sam. I wanted Sam to have a happy ending. I hope we all feel like he's got it here. _

_I know there's something I'm forgetting to mention and I can't remember it so instead I'm going to throw in another I LOVE YOU GUYS. Seriously I was reading my inbox and it was like alert, alert, review, review, favourite, alert, review etc. I just get really gushy and touched that people are reading my writing. I'm a big sap like that. So sue me. _

_Anyway I really shouldn't take anymore precious writing space. _

_Much love. Finchel in your hearts. Yadda yadda. _

_-X-_

**-2 Weeks Later-**

**-Rachel's Saturday-**

She sat at the floor in her bedroom writing furiously in her notebook.

She'd started the morning writing a letter to every member of the glee club.

Then she got bored and realized there were so many better uses to her time.

Eventually she gave in though.

Rachel wrote each letter as the letter she wants them to have when she leaves for New York, assuming they don't talk to her again before then.

Normally it would cause her pain to think that they still aren't talking to her, that they might not talk to her again, but it doesn't. If anything it proves her point even more, they never were her friends. They were better actors than she originally thought with all the times they had feigned friendship.

Surprisingly the ones who do still talk to her are a few of the boys.

And thinking that sentence in her head is confusing enough.

Finn still talks to her and for his part has been making a gallant effort to be friends. Puck has talked to her occasionally and nods his head in her direction whenever they pass in the hallway. Sam was speaking to her, however frankly she's just glad he has stopped once again. She couldn't stand listening to his crazy idea about aggravating their respective exs by dating each other.

The rest of glee club (now including Sam) have shunned her.

And she cares a lot less then she thought she would. She has Kurt, who has learned not to mention Mercedes in her presence. She has her, sometimes awkward, friendship with Finn. She knows should she ever be in real trouble she'd also have Puck.

That's more than she ever had pre new directions. It's more friends than she ever thought she'd have while still wandering the halls of McKinley. Rachel was more than prepared for not having friends until she reached the big apple and met like minded individuals who understood her talent and drive.

To have a few friends now? That's a bonus.

So she doesn't feel pain thinking about her glee club freeze out. She feels anger.

Pit of her stomach anger.

And anger is not something Rachel Berry prides herself on feeling. She doesn't enjoy it, but it's there regardless.

Because how dare they shun her? How dare they freeze her out because they're pretending to be hurt that she didn't tell them she was leaving? They aren't hurt. They're bitter, jealous and angry. They're annoyed they didn't get the scoop first.

They aren't hurt. They would have to have liked her to be hurt.

She picks up her pen which, deep in thought, she'd dropped into the seam of her notebook.

Following her letters she then jots down song ideas for Nationals (because they will win regionals, she will make sure of it) and adding songs to her emergency song lists.

She keeps her song lists organized by the emotion or message of the song and notices her anger list has recently become longer.

Then again so has her 'breaking out' and 'independent' song lists.

Idly thumbing through her notebook after adding "Fighter" to both her 'anger' playlist and her 'break up' list she spotted a song that expressed her feelings towards glee club.

A song that none of them would expect from her, it's not Broadway, it's not pop, it's not even the classic rock she sometimes favors.

It's pure and simple punk rock. It's hard. It's loud. It's angry.

Rachel smiled to herself. After all they do need to clear the air before regionals. She needs to get these emotions off of her chest. Was there a better way to do that than singing?

No. No there wasn't.

**-Puck's Sunday-**

Video games have it so easy.

Take Sonic for example. All he has to do is get the gold rings.

And stop Dr. Robotnik. And avoid those mechanical worms and shit.

So there's more than just rings. But the point still stands. Video games aren't complex or anything. They're simple.

Not like his stupid fucking life.

Firstly he shouldn't shouldn't have taken Berry's advice. Now that he even thinks about it what Berry told him to do was what Finn had been doing with her.

Look how well that worked out for Hudson.

They were just friends.

Dude ended up in the friend zone.

Yet for some reason Puck had followed through. It sounded genius at the time. He damn near ignored Quinn, other than like, his regular conversation with her.

She even sat in glee the other week sucking a damn lollipop and he didn't say anything to her about her sucking skills. He didn't even smirk at her when she caught him staring or anything.

He'd laid off the wooing and everything. He didn't punch Karofsky when he wolf whistled Quinn in the corridor last week.

Karofsky did go down extra hard at football practice that day though.

So Puck had played it cool. Laid low. Whatever you want to call it.

And look where is gets him.

Quinn saunters up to him last week with her innocent little smile and those eyes that melted... anyway so she walks up to him and puts the nails in his coffin or something.

"Puck thank you for understanding that I need space. You're a good friend when you want to be".

Friend? FUCKING FRIEND?

No way he was losing his balls and going down like that. No. Way.

Puck was in for the long haul. He wanted to do this for keeps. He wanted Quinn Fabray to be his... girlfriend.

He was talking about the real deal. Relationship and everything.

"NOAH!", he looked up from the screen. Goddamn. He needs like 2 more chaos emeralds.

Sighing he gets up and swings his door open ignoring the thud as it hits the wall, "what ma?"

"NOAH! Don't talk to you mother that way and don't slam that door like that. Get down here".

He trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen where his mothers voice was yelling from.

He grunted to announce his presence but his mood at having his game interrupted dissolved completely when he saw his moms tired face look at him.

"Noah. Finally. Now since you, again, didn't come to temple this week can you at least go and see your bubbe today?"

Puck shifted awkwardly on his heels at the mention of temple, "why?"

"Because Noah Puckerman, she asked about you at temple and you haven't seen her in weeks"

"Fine", he gave in because there was no point arguing with his mother no matter how much he didn't want a lecture from his grandmother.

"And take Sarah with you"

"Mom, no. I'm not taking the brat"

His mom slapped him around the back of his head before he'd finished blinking. "First of all do not call your sister a brat, secondly do as I say Noah!"

She scuttled to the base of the stairs and called up, "Sarah, your brother is going to see your bubbe. Do you want to go with him?"

What the hell? Sarah gets asked if she wants to go all sweetness and light and he get's guilted into going and slapped for his trouble.

Such is the life of Limas most awesome badass.

"I get to go in Noah's truck?"

"Of course. You can't walk there", his mom answered for him and Puck rolled his eyes knowing if he could make her walk there he probably would. If only to annoy his little sister.

"Then I'm in. Noah never takes me anywhere!", she practically skipped down the stairs with a huge grin on her face.

"You little liar, I took you for ice cream after your last softball game".

"That was last year, you doofus".

And somehow she doesn't get slapped for that. His mom just stands there grinning as he is forced to schlep to his truck, his sister skipping behind him, and drive to his grandmas.

And somehow his Sunday is shot. Again. No more thinking about Quinn (which is probably a blessing. There's only so much he can take) but instead his bubbe is going to kick his ass for not going to temple enough and then she'll switch and be all nice. Jut to mess with his head. And even though he knows his mom deserves some time to herself because it's the first Sunday in 5 weeks that she hasn't done overtime, he has somehow ended up with Sarah again.

And he loves his ma and his sister and his grandma but seriously. It's Sunday.

And he's got school tomorrow.

And goddamn he forgot to sort out his game before he left.

Could Sunday's suck any worse?

**-Quinn's Monday-**

Quinn walked the halls in her cheerios outfit with a smile on her face.

Things had been going unexpectedly well. Puck had actually backed off.

She'd die before admitting it but she missed him a little.

But that's only a small part of her. A much larger part of her is proud of herself.

Today marks three weeks and one day, boyfriend free. (Yes she is counting the first week even if Puck was breathing down her neck to get with her).

Not only that but today marks three weeks and one day of a all together nicer Quinn.

She is still a bitch sometimes, she still giggles at the odd joke, but all in all she is more of the Quinn she was during pregnancy.

Without all the mood swings and crazy pregnant hormones.

She's happily settled at a middle ground, occasionally flexing her bitch muscles for the right cause but mainly utilizing her compassionate side.

So it pleases her to see that a nicer Quinn still has the student body part for her like the red sea. And although she suspects a part of that is the uniform more than her.

Quinn spots Rachel out of the corner of her eye as she walks and stiffens for only a second.

Once last week Rachel tried to corner her and talk. Quinn doesn't know why and she didn't wait around to find out. Quinn may be trying this whole world peace thing but it doesn't mean she's willing to risk her glee club status.

Because the glee club still isn't talking to Rachel. Which means she still isn't talking to Rachel.

Quinn can admit that initially she felt the same stab of jealous anger towards the brunette. Rachel had always been so confident and sure of herself and now her aspirations were actually happening. She was actually doing it and getting out of Lima.

She was achieving what Quinn secretly feared she never would do herself.

However the jealousy had faded quickly.

Quinn wasn't actively trying to be a bitch anymore so she actually felt bad when she saw Rachel isolate herself in the front of the choir room. Or when she saw everyone talk around her or avoid her while Mr. Schue ran them through choreography.

And she thought she saw a few of the others feel bad occasionally, but it only took a few ring leaders to run the Rachel Berry recession and no one wanted to break it.

Finn only got away with talking to her because as Santana put it, "he didn't know any better" and when it had been mentioned that Puck had been seen talking to her occasionally nothing was done because nobody felt like taking on Puck over anything he did. It wouldn't end well.

Half of the glee club were still actively shunning her and the rest felt they had to because they didn't want to be shunned themselves.

So when Quinn carried on walking past the crazy diva she silently prayed that she wouldn't draw attention to herself.

Rachel thankfully said nothing and Quinn remembered that Rachel had cornered her privately last week. Not in the middle of the hall.

Even when Rachel was being ignored by everyone she was still being considerate.

Quinn continued on trying to ignore the turmoil at passing Rachel by.

In a few seconds though it was the last thing on her mind because a large hand was suddenly in front of her face.

In a flash it was at her waist and before she had time to scream it pulled her into a dark janitors closet.

She opened her mouth to yell as she heard a click. Light flooded the small room from the dangerously swinging lightbulb above their heads.

"Calm down Peach it's me", Puck's voice reached her ears first as she turned to face him.

They were closer than she anticipated in the small space and he smirked as she realized where she was and who she was with.

"Peach?", the nickname rung in her ears.

"It's a Mario thing. Deal with it"

"So why the early morning kidnapping Puck? You're rarely awake this early, let alone in school", she asked taking a step back as much as she could.

"Well Peach I've got something I need to say and then that's it. I'll back off and leave you alone and whatever", his eyes were at the floor as he said it. Quinn was glad for that. She didn't want to see anything other than Pucks normal confidence in those eyes and something in his voice told her that right now it wasn't there.

She gulped slowly and purposefully, "okay, shoot".

He snapped his head up with renewed boldness and maintained eye contact as he spoke this time.

"Okay Princess. I've laid my shit out and said my stuff. I've tried romancing you and I've tried giving you space, letting you see how much you miss the Puckerone and all. Nothings working, whatever. But I really do love ya. I wasn't playing you. I may be a badass and a all round stud but I wouldn't do that, not to you. So here it is, my final attempt or whatever. I love you Quinn and I want you to be my girlfriend. For real this time, no drama, no cheating. Just you and me trying to make it work. It won't be perfect and I don't know if we'll last but I want to try. But I've still got some fucking self respect so this is it. It's the last time I'll try and get with you. I don't expect you to decide now but if you decide after this try that you don't wanna be with me, fine. I'll leave it alone, you win. It's your choice, you just gotta make it".

Quinn stared at him, speechless. It was the most she'd ever heard badass Puckerman say in one go. And it was definitely the most heartfelt thing he'd ever said.

In fact it was damn near perfect even with the 'fucking' and the 'Puckerone'.

He nodded, "just let me know babe", and kissed her cheek before leaving her alone and closing the door behind him.

She was touched over what he'd just said.

She was conflicted over enjoying her new independence versus her actual final shot with Puck.

All in all Quinn was not thinking about getting to homeroom when the bell rang signaling her lateness.

**-Finn's Tuesday-**

Finn sat at the drums in the choir room automatically pounding out the song he would be playing for the glee club in 10 minutes. Rachel stood tapping her foot to the beat.

When she'd called him on Sunday to ask for his help with a performance for glee he had been happy that she would be singing again, worried about what she would sing and excited to be singing with her.

Then she'd told him the song and said he'd just be drumming and he was cool with that.

Overall though she'd sounded confident and determined. And her eyes had shown that same determination when she'd given him the sheet music yesterday.

However looking at her now she seemed awkward. He knew better than to suggest she was nervous. As she had explained before Rachel Berry did not get nervous before a performance.

"You ok Rach?", he blurted out as he stopped mid drum.

"Of course. Why?", she asked skeptically.

He shrugged, "you don't seem erm... comfortable. With the beat and stuff. Have you thought about your choreography?"

"I was going to 'wing it' a la 'gives you hell'. It seemed to work well enough at getting my point across then", she finished complete with air quotes.

His face must have screwed up as much as his insides did at that point because she suddenly panicked, "not that this song is a message to you Finn. I was just implying... well it's hard to choreograph punk rock when the whole point is raw and unbridled emotion".

He forced a smile onto his face and tried not to remember how he'd felt when she'd sung that song to him. And what cheerleader had been sitting next to him. And what eventually happened between him and that cheerio.

He looked up at the girl who would be singing Simple Plan in a few minutes and chuckled to himself as he pushed the memories away. Here she was in a pink and yellow plaid skirt, a pale yellow sweater and white ankle socks with a pink trim. So not punk rock.

"Hey Rach can you do the signs of the horn?", he asked.

Her forehead creased in confusion, "excuse me?"

He laughed to himself again and raised his right hand to show her the most classic of all rock hand gestures.

"Ohh that. Erm well I never have before...", she trailed off as he jumped out from behind the drums and grabbed her hand, gently placing her hand into the action.

Trust Rachel to have never rocked out properly before.

"Thank you Finn", she mumbled and he noticed her eyes were locked on his hand that was still holding hers. Now his eyes couldn't look away either.

"Oh sweet J-money. Get a room", Puck said loudly as he walked in and picked up a guitar.

Finn let go and was about to answer when Rachel said a better answer than he ever could of, " actually we had one Noah, until you interrupted".

Puck grinned and replied, "well don't invite me to wail on the axe for you next time and I won't be early".

He didn't know what to ask about first. The fact that they seemed to have regular conversation by the way they spoke to each other or the fact that Puck was now strumming the guitar in his hands.

He thought helping Rachel would be _his_ thing.

Since he couldn't count the 'Puck and Rachel' conversation as safe to talk about because Finn didn't know what he'd be liable to say he went with the guitar thing.

"You playing _too_ dude?", he asked emphasizing the 'too' as he made his way back behind the drums.

Rachel answered for him, "as you and Noah are the only two members of glee club who are actually talking to me at the moment I wanted you both to, symbolically, not be on the receiving end of my performance and the fact that you both play different instruments made it all the easier to ask you both to play with me".

"What she said. Anyway I never miss a opportunity to rock out dude", Puck added a mini guitar solo for effect.

Finn narrowed his eyes in Pucks direction for a second before turning his attention to Rachel who had ambushed Mr. Schuester, who was actually there before a lot of the glee kids arrived.

He seemed to have been filled in on Rachel's performance though by the time they started arriving and Finn wondered if she'd told him what song she'd be singing.

They filed in and took their seats, most of them shooting confused looks at Finn and Puck. Finn noticed nobody threw any sort of look at Rachel and it reminded him why she was doing this and why he was helping.

"Ok guys, Rachel has asked to perform something she'd been working on so before I get into todays lesson I'm going to let her have the floor, Rachel...", he motioned the the center of the room for her to take her place.

She stepped forward and stared at them all as she spoke, despite them all avoiding her gaze.

"My fellow glee clubbers. I don't want to say too much because frankly I think the song I've chosen properly conveys my feelings at the moment but I would like to reiterate that I am not normally a angry or resentful person. However certain actions have forced my hand and I simply hope that after I have properly expressed myself we can move past this for the good of our upcoming regional competition. Although you are all treating me like a traitor I am still fully intending on competing, and winning, as a member of New Directions, however for us to succeed we need to work as a team, even if none of you wish for me to be a part that team".

A few heads twitched as she finished but nobody moved to look at her.

She nodded towards Finn and the band and Finn felt his hands move of their own accord to start drumming.

_There you go  
__You're always so right  
__It's all a big show  
__It's all about you_

_You think you know  
__What everyone needs  
__You always take time  
__To criticize me_

Finn catches Puck just rocking out on the guitar and Rachel directing every word to the other 9 teenagers in the room.

_It seems like everyday  
__I make mistakes  
__I just can't get it right  
__It's like I'm the one  
__You love to hate  
__But not today_

He watches as she jumps around the room, singing the words with so much passion that he doesn't know how her body contains it. It's like she should have punched someone by now or something if there's that much inside her.

_So shut up, shut up, shut up  
__Don't wanna hear it  
__Get out, get out, get out  
__Get out of my way  
__Step up, step up, step up  
__You'll never stop me  
__Nothing you say today  
__Is gonna bring me down_

_There you go  
__You never ask why  
__It's all a big lie  
__Whatever you do_

_You think you're special  
__But I know, and I know  
__And I know, and we know  
__That you're not_

_You're always there to point  
__Out my mistakes  
__And shove them in my face  
__It's like I'm the one  
__You love to hate  
__But not today_

_So shut up, shut up, shut up  
__Don't wanna hear it  
__Get out, get out, get out  
__Get out of my way  
__Step up, step up, step up  
__You'll never stop me  
__Nothing you say today  
__Is gonna bring me down_

Finn started singing along to the backing vocals the more he got into the song. And he held back the proud smile when he saw Rachel raise her rock horns to the ceiling.

_(shut up, shut up, shut up)  
__Is gonna bring me down  
__(shut up, shut up, shut up)  
__You'll never bring me down_

By the time the music slowed down for the next verse all of the eyes were on her, and she flickered her gaze between them all during the next lines and the rest of the song.

_Don't tell me who I should be (Don't tell me who I should be)  
__And don't try to tell me what's right for me  
__Don't tell me what I should do  
__I don't wanna waste my time  
__I'll watch you fade away_

She stepped in front of Santana at this point and leaned in to sing the next line just to her before jumping back to the front and jumping around again as she finished the song.

_So shut up, shut up, shut up  
__Don't wanna hear it  
__Get out, get out, get out  
__Get out of my way  
__Step up, step up, step up  
__You'll never stop me  
__Nothing you say today  
__Is gonna bring me down_

_Bring me down  
__(shut up, shut up, shut up)  
__Won't bring me down  
__Bring me down  
__(shut up, shut up, shut up)  
__You won't bring me down_

_Shut up, shut up, shut up!_

There's no applause but instead a stunned silence. Literally stunned. Finn looked up at the rest of the glee kids and at least 4 of them are sitting there with their mouths hanging open. Mr. Schue just had the widest eyes he's ever seen and doesn't seem to have realized the music stopped. Finn chuckled, obviously he didn't know what song she was singing.

Rachel turned to Finn and Puck, "thank you both so much is assisting me with that song".

Finn wonders if Puck is staring at her with the same amazed look that he knows he's staring at her with. She paints a sweet smile on her face as she turns back to the glee kids, "I think I've communicated my emotions effectively. I hope you all decide I am worth working with for Regionals", and finally she directs herself to Mr. Schue, "thank you for giving me the floor Mr. Schuester. It helped me greatly".

She took her seat at the front and Puck sauntered over to his regular in the back with a shrug, when Finn found his way into the seat next to Rachel he noticed she had taken her notebook out as usual and was awaiting the lesson as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

It was the most awkward glee meeting he had ever sat in. And he had been involved in the babygate saga.

**-Rachel's Wednesday-**

Rachel wasn't completely socially stunted.

She was obviously aware of the impact of her song choice and performance yesterday.

She just happened to be a actress. And a excellent one at that.

So when Finn had asked her after glee, the previous day, if she had known what would happen, she giggled, feigned innocence and asked what had happened. Because, as she led him to believe, she hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

If she hadn't been such a skilled actress she probably would have giggled again at how much Finns eyes had bugged out of his head.

Honestly, it hadn't been _that_ awkward after she sang.

But today was a new day. And it was proving to be a new era.

She had walked in to find Tina and Mike waiting by her locker.

"Rachel...", Tina began.

Rachel forced herself not to make a comment about them remembering her name.

"... I'm... we're so sorry Rachel. At first we were all so mad and a bunch of us were kind of hurt. I didn't think we were that bad and you didn't tell us and by the end we didn't want to..."

Rachel held up a hand to stop her talking. Tina flinched like Rachel was about to slap her or tell her to go away and stop wasting her time.

Rachel sighed at the reaction. She may have proven that she could leave them speechless but she wasn't a different person. She may have expressed her anger and highlighted her mistreatment through song but she was never cruel... not when she had the good sense to stop herself.

"Tina, I can honestly say that I am willing to forget the whole thing happened. I admit for my part I probably should have announced it earlier but at this point I would simply like to forget the last few weeks have happened and focus on regionals".

Ever the diplomat, Rachel.

The goth girl in front of her broke out into a wide smile and leapt at her. Over her shoulder Mike shrugged and smiled at her and Rachel only wished the floodgates of communication with the rest of them could be as simple as her and Mikes reconciliation.

Rachel was fairly sure she had never received a hug from Tina, save for the collective mass hugging that took place when they won sectionals. A personal hug like this was a first but she returned it happily.

She wouldn't call many of the glee club family or friends but they were her teammates. And it felt like a weight had been lifted as she seemed to finally be getting a few back.

Well it wasn't so much a weight but rather a veil of anger that had been draped over her life.

Rachel would be more than glad to let go to some of the bubbling resentment. Only some though, she was fairly sure she wouldn't be speaking to them all at the end of the day.

She was under no false impressions that Santana would be apologizing anytime soon.

Which is probably why it surprised her to open her locker and find a note of paper from Santana's closest confidant.

_I'm sorry Rachey. I only ignored you because someone said that you had lost your voice and couldn't talk back to me anyway. Brittany. _

Rachel couldn't decide if Brittany's note itself was the most surprising thing or the nickname 'Rachey'. Although Rachel half figured it could have been a misspelling of Rachel.

Throughout the day, various other members of the club found their way to her. Artie told her that he had a rap planned that he could dedicate to her if she wanted and she assured him it wasn't necessary.

Rachel smiled through them all, reminding herself hardly anything would change.

Mercedes gave her a awkward, mumbled apology and the second she was finished Rachel received a text from Kurt.

_Did Miss. Bootylicious apologize yet? I told her I'd check she did as she was trying to back out. She honestly had convinced herself that you would put some Jewish curse on her to stop her getting solos or something equally ridiculous. I assured her if you could do that, you probably would have a long time ago. _

Rachel actually initiated a hug with Mercedes and told her, "we both can be quite the diva".

However of all the apologies (including Brittany's) she'd didn't expect to hear "pssst" from Quinn at the start of lunch.

Rachel looked around around for a slushie cup before following the blonde into the empty classroom she was beckoning to her from.

"Quinn I've already told most of the glee club I'm really not concerned with..."

"Zip it Berry", Quinn snapped.

Rachel allowed a small smile to play at her lips despite Quinn's tone. She had just called her Berry.

"I'm sorry, what can I do for you Quinn?"

"One of the reasons I wanted to talk to you was to apologize. I think all of us let it get a bit too far. And well, yeah, I'm sorry. What I really wanted to ask was about last week?"

"What about last week?", she asked forgetting to accept Quinn's apology.

"When you tried to talk to me, what was it about?"

Rachel smiled knowingly despite herself, "I was actually going to offer you my advice. I am fully aware you probably wouldn't and still won't take it but I felt it was my duty to at least help in any way I could after I gave Noah some advice that clearly didn't work".

"You gave Puck advice? You wanted to give me advice?", Quinn flustered.

"Yes. I advised Puck to reign in his romantic gestures in a effort to show you what you are missing. However when that failed I felt that perhaps if I spoke to you and gauged your feelings for him I could remedy the situation before he gave up hope completely".

"Bit late for that", Quinn muttered and Rachel wondered if she meant for her to hear that.

"As I said, I only wanted to remedy the situation with Puck and yourself. Since we are talking at the moment, are you interested in rekindling your entanglement with Noah?"

Rachel realized she phrased the question like it was something to do with herself but she had admittedly felt horrible since seeing Noah follow her advice and fail miserably.

Quinn stared at her for a second and Rachel figured that despite their conversation leading that way the question must have caught her off guard. Or perhaps the phrasing of the question.

"Erm... I don't need a man. I don't need Puck", and Rachel knew that she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince Rachel.

"Of course you don't need him. You're Quinn Fabray. A more pertinent question is do you _want_ him?"

Her face fell at _that_ question and Rachel smiled to herself having received her answer.

Rachel watched as Quinn seemed lost in thought and nodded to her before leaving, "thanks Berry. I don't know why you're being cool about this and trying to help me but thanks".

The door closed briefly and Rachel sighed in relief at the possibility to having helped Noah before the door opened again and Quinn stuck her head back into the room just to say, "do you ever think about taking your own advice Berry? Seems you _want _someone too".

Rachel instantly thought about the look on Finn's face when he'd seen Noah join them to perform yesterday. She'd seen it. A mix of jealousy and hurt.

Jealousy is normal. Jealousy means he still cares about her.

Hurt? Hurt just means that he's still not ok with her and Noah being in the same room.

She accepted long ago that that he might never be ok with it.

Maybe she'll always be left wanting.

Rachel was nothing if not the girl who wanted things too badly.

**-Quinn's Thursday-**

She didn't know how she'd pulled it off but she'd avoided Puck for 2 days now.

Well pretty much since he gave her a ultimatum.

And then Quinn had spoken to Rachel who had effectively put her head into a tailspin.

She didn't need Puck.

She'd felt like she needed Finn and Sam. For her popularity. Even the first time around she'd needed Puck for a little while. For somewhere to live and to be her unborn baby daddy.

But Quinn knew she could survive on her own now. She still ruled the school as long as she wanted to. She had the popularity she so desperately craved and at the same time retained friendships and connections to glee, something that made her truly happy.

Quinn could fly solo.

She needed Puck like she needed a hole in the head.

But did she _want_ him? That had been Rachel's question.

That damn question that set a frenzy throughout her. Did she want the bad boy who plays by his own rules and keeps her on her toes? Did she want the badass who had confessed to loving her? Did she want that body, those guns, that mohawk?

Stupid, idiotic questions. Of course she did.

Quinn was not a fool, she knew she wanted him. If it was a simple case of him wanting her and she wanting him then she was pretty sure she'd already be making out with him in the front seat of his truck.

But he loved her. And Puck was not a man to say the word love at all, let alone admit that he felt it for someone other than his mom. Yet he had.

He'd sung about loving her. He'd told her he loved her. He'd tried to show her her loved her.

Noah Puckerman loved her.

And it kind of scared Quinn because she couldn't decide if she loved him back.

She partly blamed her new attempt at not being a bitch. She partly blamed everything she'd been through with Puck.

Whatever she blamed the fact was that she didn't want to hurt him. Which is why she had to figure herself out.

Because Quinn was aware that if she agreed to date Puck and she didn't love him? That would probably ruin him more than if she shot him down tomorrow.

And she wasn't sure she could handle the angry female population of Lima hunting her down for breaking their Puck.

Not that she'd worry too much about that. It would come as a relief to know he isn't whoring about.

He was better than that anyway.

Puck may have been a lot of things last year, before everything, but he'd certainly grown up since then.

Even if he was still a badass.

Not that she thought being badass was something he had to grow out of.

Quinn sighed to herself as she shut her locker, she obviously had strong feelings for him but was that enough?

Of course it was at that moment that Satan's shrill voice screeched it's way through her thoughts.

"You're dating Trasha from the freaking yearbook loser squad?"

Quinn spun around to look across the corridor and see Santanna standing in front of Sam with fire in her eyes. He sighed warily as he shut his locker and turned to face her.

"Tasha. Her name is Tasha and yes I'm dating her. She's actually a lot less drama than you, funnily enough. And she _loves_ my impressions", he finished with a grin.

Santana leaned closer to him and growled, "listen lady lips, I gave you a chance to ride the Santana express. You don't dump me to date some random chick from the damn school supply closet. In fact you don't dump me, ever. Now I am willing, one final time, to look over your indiscretion and help you save some rep here Ken, but that is only because your Bieber baby face gives the impression that you're younger than me and your ability to communicate with nerds has actually increased their fear of me somehow".

"Thanks but no thanks Satan. I've dated for popularity and it didn't work out so well for me. And Tasha is awesome, and she's on the homecoming committee as well. And it's nice to date someone who is normal and hasn't been _passed_ around the glee club".

Quinn saw the regret in Sam's face at his last sentence a moment before she saw the fury in Santana's.

"That was a bigger mistake than your big mouth. The only thing your ginormous tongue will be doing now is licking up the charred remains of your Avatar DVD collection after I crush you".

Quinn smiled to herself as Santana stomped away and Sam muttered, "you'll never find my collectors edition".

She felt the urge to walk over to him and make nice and ask about his new girlfriend but her common sense stopped her. Yes it had been over a month since their break up and yes she'd watched him date Santana, as well as make out with multiple other cheerios however she still felt there was a lingering awkwardness between them.

She didn't have a choice though.

"Quinn?", she snapped her attention back to reality and found herself looking in his green eyes.

"Quinn, I know you caught that little, erm... display, anyway I just wanted to say I didn't mean anything about you or... man erm... are we cool?"

Her eyes widened, "you want to know if we're cool?"

"Yeah? I know we... I, had some problems and stuff, dealing with everything, but well, I think I'm kind of moving on and I really like Tashy and I think me and you could be good friends".

"Tashy?", Quinn asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, get over it ok. She calls me Sammy", he blushed a little and Quinn didn't feel the jealousy like she assumed was normal but instead she felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Sam I'm still really sorry, I didn't want anything between us to end up how it did. Of course we can be friends. That's all I wanted, and I'm glad you found someone who is making you happy".

"Hey, you didn't make out with Santana. I think I handled things worse than you".

"No more death glares in glee?", Quinn asked with a smile.

Sam smiled back at her, "as long as you don't cry too much when I don't take you to see Avatar 2".

She held her hand to her heart dramatically as she walked away, "however will I cope?"

Quinn heard him laugh as she walked and for the first time since they broke up she didn't feel guilty when looking at him.

Maybe it was the guilt being lifted from her mind but she had the overwhelming need to find Puck however it seemed he was now avoiding her.

**-Finn's Friday- **

"Dude 'five' is obviously the best", Finn argued as his fingers flew over the controls.

"Ok are you a freakin' girl or what? Do make us play 'der riese' again. Because not only do you suck at that map but you fail as my backup. And then I have to save your sorry ass all over again".

"That map is insane and the zombies are worse... and you're a girl".

"Well if that's true then my score right now proves that even girls can beat you down Hudson".

"Shit!", Finn yelled as the game ended and Pucks score was insanely ahead of his own.

Puck leaned back against Finn's bed where he had sat to play call of duty. Finn looked over, from the desk chair he was sitting on, in time to see the self satisfied smirk on his face.

"I needed that", Puck said simply.

"Quinn?", Finn asked. He knew whatever was on Pucks mind was Quinn. People may have thought he was an idiot but Finn was pretty smart with some things.

"Dude. You really are a girl. Do you seriously want to talk about feelings and shit or do you want to go get more sodas so I can school you in zombie killing again?"

Finn sighed as he got up and Puck smirked again, "oh and make sure you get me some cookies or something sweetie".

Finn only answered him with a swift kick to his leg before stepping over him and making his way to the kitchen.

He only made it as far as the refrigerator before he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"So you're allowed boys in your room and I'm only allowed girls. Oh the lives we lead"

Finn whipped around leaving the fridge churning out cold air, "Kurt! I didn't think you was coming home this weekend dude".

"My ladies needed me home to be honest and I feel absolutely awful that I haven't seen Barbara in weeks. She's been having a horrendous time of it", he replied nonchalantly.

Finn knew Kurt was her friend however that didn't stop him from not liking how casual Kurt was talking about Rachel having a hard time.

Worse than that was realizing he had no idea. She'd acted as if nothing was wrong, he knew she had a show face but he hadn't seen her slip once. Not once had she shown any sign of frustration. Instead she just kicked ass in her song at them and ended up with most of them talking to her again.

And the fact that Kurt knew she was having a hard time and Finn didn't? Sucked.

Kurt crossed the room and shut the refrigerator door before patting Finn on the shoulder, "so how did Tuesday go?"

"Huh?"

"Tuesday? Rachel's attempt at giving glee a piece of her mind. She said you were helping her with it. It'd be nice to hear the results from someone who doesn't reply with 'it's was fine'".

Finn smiled at the memory, "Fine? She rocked out. I played drums and she sang 'Shut Up' by Simple Plan. Everyone was just shocked. Schue looked scared and the next day everyone was like saying sorry to her and stuff. It was epic".

Kurt shook his head, "tell me again why you aren't together?"

"What?"

"Well seems to me you're both just a pair of love sick puppies. I mean that dumbstruck far away look in your eyes when you talk about her? It's almost sickening. And I'm in a relationship myself".

Finn gaped. "Dude you're dating?"

Kurt waved it off airily with a flick of his hand, "Blaine. You've met him. Devilishly handsome, wonderfully talented, he's the Finn Hudson to my Rachel Berry although we obviously have far less drama".

Finn's brain was on fire. Like burning up. Some little dudes were running about in there shouting 'Kurt's dating. We need to find Blaine and warn him to look after Kurt and stuff', then there were some other dudes screaming, 'the Finn to his Rachel but with less drama? Seriously?'.

And then there were a bunch in the far corner who were slumped against the inside wall of his brain mindlessly repeating, 'you're a lovesick puppy for Rachel. What else is new? We've only been telling your forever'.

Stupid dudes inside his brain.

"That's awesome man", he finally spluttered out, "I'm really happy for you dude".

"Thanks Finn. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go and jump out on Puck and hopefully scare the living daylights out of him before I go to Barbaras".

"You're going to see Rachel?"

Kurt looked at him from the doorway and nodded.

"... tell her I said hi", Finn blurted out before turning his back on Kurt to finish his soda duty.

He heard Kurt tut loudly before he walked away.


End file.
